


Natural Disaster

by ScripturientScorpion



Series: Natural Disaster [1]
Category: Pentatonix
Genre: Apocalypse, F/M, Gen, Natural Disaster, Post-Apocalypse, earthquake
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-24
Updated: 2014-05-06
Packaged: 2018-01-13 15:30:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 61
Words: 118,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1231681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScripturientScorpion/pseuds/ScripturientScorpion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The world was never meant for this. Not this quaking, freezing, splitting apart ruin of earth. And she didn't know why it was happening. All she knew is that she wanted out from under this damn building, and, by Gods, she would take all the help she could get to get back to safety. </p><p>Even from this stranger who seemed to know just as much about survival as she did, which was next to nothing. They were going to need to some serious luck to survive this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

This was not how it was supposed to be. This was not how it was supposed to end. Her life was meant to end either surrounded by people she loved, or in some grand adventure. She was not meant to die in some sort of natural disaster hundreds of miles from home.

The floor of her temporary apartment quavered beneath her feet, and she froze for a moment before diving for the nearest doorframe. She'd grown up with earthquakes. They were a normal occurence back up north, but she had been assured that the area near Colorado was not on a fault line. Someone had lied to her, or this was a cruel trick of fate.

The ground rocked the building, sending her off-balance and scrambling to grip the doorframe. 

 _Oh Gods_ , she thought as the structure swayed sickeningly, _I'm going to die._

People outside shrieked as buildings began to collapse, her ceiling caving in, chunks falling through the floor above her. _I need to get outside_. Trying to keep her balance, she gathered what essentials she could get her hands on- medicine, canned goods, a change of clothes- threw them into a bag and sprinted in a wobbily fashion for the door.  _Please let me get out of this alive._

She made it out into the hallways of her apartment building, slipping and sliding along the slanting floor and she realized that the whole building was coming down.

_Move move move!_

She sprinted for the door, watching as others quickly made their way out the front entrance.

_Almost there, you can make it._

She was halfway through the door when the building came down on her, a a chunk of wall hitting her on the head with enough force to knock her out.

_Fuck. This is how it ends._

Her vision swam, her breath and heartbeat loud in her ears.

It was just one more step.

Just one.

Just.

One.

Step.

Black overcame her, and the screams of the people outside faded from her hearing.


	2. Chapter 2

Launa woke slowly, her head pounding, groaning in pain.  _Fucking hell. What happened? Am I hungover?_

She peeled her eyes open and glanced groggily around. She felt sluggish, like she was moving through molasses. She fully expected to see the inside of the bedroom of her temporary apartment, and was shocked to see nothing but debris and the ruin of her street’s buildings. “What the actual fuck?” she murmured, green eyes wide with shock. She hissed in pain- the sound of her own voice was grating, and she made to touch the back of her head to check for wounds, only to find her right arm was pinned- along with the majority of her body.

 _No no no, not good._  She checked her limbs, relieved to find that she had somehow gotten away without a broken bone.  _Nah, you’re just pinned under the weight of the wall of your apartment building and are probably going to rot away under here. Yay, positivity_. Launa pushed away the sarcastic, negative thoughts, focusing on surviving and getting out of the predicament.

She tested her strength, but was unable to use her own weight and sturdy frame, as she couldn’t get any leverage with her limbs trapped this way. She attempted to pull her knees up- giddy upon finding that she could move her left leg a little, but her heavy hiking boot was caught, leaving her right leg immobile.  _Okay, we need to free my right foot_ , she thought, making a checklist of what needed to happen in order to get to safety,  _we also need to find the bag I made, with all the stuff in it. Pssh. Good luck._

 ** _Shut up_**. She told herself, firmly, effectively shutting up the negative side of her. Launa tried her left arm, almost crying out in relief when it moved with relative ease- though she had to fight against plaster to get it shot out into the open air.  _If someone sees me waving, I can get help._

She listened intently, straining her ears to catch any sort of man-made noise beyond her prison. Nothing. Not even a footfall. “Hello?” She called, fighting against the pain in her skull in the hopes of catching someone’s attention. It was futile, though- from what she could see, there was no one around.  _They must have all evacuated or something. The dead be damned._

Launa suddenly found herself boiling with anger. She was  _alive_  out here, dammit, and trapped. But she would probably die, now, because everyone was too scared to go back and search for survivors. She screamed in rage and desperation, flailing as well as she could against the binds of her prison, hoping that her anger would help move the heavy pieces of the structure.

 _I just want to go home_ , she thought, feeling tears slip down her cheeks. She was terrified of dying. That was not an adventure she was ready to embark on.  _I just want to see my Mom. I don’t want to die alone. I don’t want to die._

Launa laid her head down against her arm, trying to calm her breathing and rein her fear in. Freaking out was not going to help. She could not, however, make herself move, again. Paralysis in the face of terror took hold, and she simply laid there, hoping for some sort of help.

Her prayer went unanswered, and she started to give up hope.

Her ears suddenly pricked up, catching the slightest noise from way off to her right, beyond the pile of her once-apartment complex. She listened hard for a long moment, picking up a rhythm to the noise. Footfalls. Heavy footfalls, at that, and definitely human and- given the weight and space between them, probably an adult male.  _Or a really big lady_. She shushed herself, believing in the balance of probability.

"He-," she cut off, choking on her desert of a mouth. How long had she been there? Hours? Days? "Hello?"

The footfalls stopped short. Launa felt herself grin. She’d caught his attention. “Hello!” she called again, trying to wiggle her arm, which had fallen asleep awhile ago, “Hello, is someone there?!”

The steps hesitated and moved forward, and she could suddenly see black boots and the bottoms of jeans tucked into the tops. A voice carried through the silence, sounding extremely concerned. “Hello? Who’s there?” Whoever he was, he sounded nervous, almost as though he were afraid to break the silence.

Launa flailed her arm hard, finally getting feeling back into it. “Over here!” she shouted, grappling for some sort of debris to move and alert him to her location. “I’m stuck under a building!” She got a firm grasp on a piece of plaster and tossed it in his general direction.

"Ow!"

 _Way to go, Launa._  “Shit, sorry!” She cried, “I didn’t mean to hit you!”

She watched his boots step hurriedly over to her pile of debris. “It’s okay,” he assured her, his voice clearer now that he was closer, “I think I can see you. Are you alright? Anything broken?”

"No," she answered, giving him a thumbs-up, "I’m okay. Just kinda, y’know. Stuck. Is there any chance you could lift some of this so I can wiggle out?"

The man hesitated, then knelt and leaned over to see her face, his own shadowed by the backlighting of the cloudy sky. “Okay,” he said, smiling, before glancing to the wreckage above her, “Yeah, I can do that. Let me know if anything hurts.”

"Okay." She watched as he braced his weight into his knees and lifted the boards and chunks of plaster, grunting with the strain. She moved as quickly as possible, and as soon as the pressure lifted off her legs. She wiggled her foot free, relieved to find the bag was already slung over her shoulder, and scrambled from beneath the debris as fast as she could.

"You out?" he asked, straining to keep the wreckage up and out of her way.

"Yeah, I’m good," he let it crash to the ground, sighing and brushing his hands off on his pants, turning to find her trying to stand, "Thank you so much. I owe you, big time."

He laughed quietly, running a hand through his brown hair, and she took a quick moment to study him.  _Whoa, nelly_. She silently thanked whoever was listening that she had gotten a savior in the first place, and then thanked them that he was attractive, because  _damn_. He smiled wide at her, teeth white and sharp. “Don’t worry about it,” he said, and she noted just how deep his voice was.  _ **Whoa** , nelly_. “Stragglers have got to stick together, right?”

Launa snorted, shaking aside the very not-necessary and completely-inappropriate-to-the-situation admiration. “What, you get knocked out, too?”

"No," he answered, rubbing the back of his neck, "just got stuck behind a wall. Everyone else went out ahead of me, and, well, yeah."

She found herself smiling. “Hey, it happens.” She stopped herself short, her mother’s voice ringing in her ears.  _Where are your manners?_  “Oh, shit, sorry- I’m Launa.” She stretched her arm out to shake his hand.

His smile stretched across his face, again as he firmly shook her hand. ”Avi. Nice to meet you.”

She retracted her hand from his, and stood there for a moment, awkwardly shuffling in place. What do you say to the person who saved your life? “Nice weather, huh?”

Avi’s laugh cut through the silence. “Oh, yeah,” he agreed, “Very apocalypse-like. It’s a nice change.”

Launa grinned as they began walking aimlessly down what was left of the street. If this was the grand adventure that she always thought she was meant for, then she was immensely grateful that the one she’d be sharing it with, at least for the time being, was someone with a good sense of humor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

The silence that permeated the air was heavy and highly unnatural. It was a pretty small city, but was still busy, and to see it like this was unnerving. Launa and Avi wandered up the street, keeping their eyes peeled for any signs of life, occasionally calling out and straining to hear if there was an answer. There was none, the answering silence sending a chill down her spine. She was unused to such quiet, the stillness suffocating.

They decided to check a random house, which may have been their worst decision. Part of the roof had caved in, trapping an unfortunate person right on their middle. Launa bent to check for breath and a pulse, stopping short upon realizing that they had been crushed to death, their lifeless eyes staring upward. Avi realized it about the same time she did, and she heard him retching behind her at the sight of the pool of blood beneath the victim. Launa shook it off and closed their eyes, wishing them a peaceful trip to the afterlife and thanking them for whatever canned goods they might have left behind.

"You’re raiding the house?" Avi asked after he caught his breath, still looking paler than usual.

Launa shrugged. “Might as well. I’m sure he wouldn’t have wanted it to go to waste.” She pulled open the cupboard and cringed at the canned oysters. “Ew.”

They continued on from the house, casting a parting glance over their shoulders at the lifeless body. She’d read and watched stuff about an apocalyptic event and its results, but she never thought she’d live it. Everything seemed to have an overtone of grey to it, and it was all dusty and dry, as though all the life had been sucked out of the town. Avi’s hand gently squeezed her shoulder, breaking her from her thoughts.”You alright?” He asked, concern lacing his too deep voice.

Launa managed a small smile. “Yeah,” she said, rubbing her arms, “I mean, I’m alive and I have decent company. I’d say I’m pretty well-off, by comparison. Are you?”

He mirrored her smile. “About the same, actually.”

They continued on, heading away from the residential area. “I’m gonna pick up some more medicine, if there’s anything left.” She said, gesturing to the grocery store, “Coming with me?”

Avi nodded. “Yeah, someone’s gotta watch your back.”

"I doubt there’s anything or anyone that’s going to pop out and get me." She said with a snort.

"Hey, don’t mock the scary movies," he raised his hands in defense, "by their rules, now that you’ve said that, you’re the first one to die."

Launa couldn’t help the pang of fear. She hated scary movies. Especially that one about the aliens leaving crop circles that could only be killed with water. “Yeah, alright,” she sighed, stepping over the threshold of the collapsing building, “I won’t tempt fate.”

"You’re tempting fate by even going in here, you know that right?" He eyed the doorway warily.

"Thank you, mother."

Avi laughed. “Yeah, yeah,” he said, “Just be careful, okay?”

Launa smiled over her shoulder at him. “Just watch my back.”

They carefully picked their way over the rubble and debris over to where the medicine was located and started shoving painkillers and bandages into her, thankfully, large bag. She mumbled something about needing another one, soon, and he jogged off to fetch a decently sized travel bag.

"So," she piped up, breaking the silence between them, "Avi." He hummed in response, tossing toothbrushes into the bag. "Who names their kid ‘Avi’?" The offended look on his face was amusing, and she scrambled to correct herself. "I mean, is it short for something?"

He gave her a deep frown for a moment before turning back to the task at hand. “Avriel.”

"Avriel?" She repeated, the name rolling relatively easily off her tongue, looking him up and down. The name definitely suited him. "That’s pretty. It sounds like something out of a fairy tale. Or an angel, or something."

"You stop that." He laughed, and turned away. She grinned, watching the tips of his ears turn pink. He really was attractive- with long brown curls and brilliant green eyes, and his jaw and mouth framed by a neatly trimmed beard. She watched the line of his shoulders as he grabbed for a bottle of something before shaking herself hard. The end of the world was neither the time nor the place for that sort of shit.  _Get it together, Launa._

"Is Launa short for something?" He asked, startling her back into the task at hand.

She shook her head, her red hair falling into her face.  _Mental note: grab hair ties_. “Nah,” she replied, heaving the bag up onto her shoulder, “Just ‘Launa’.”

They began to head toward the exit, stopping short upon hearing a creak. They both looked up, and, much to their horror, saw a crack forming in the ceiling. He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the exit.  _Shitshitshit!_

They didn’t stop running until they had made a 50 foot clearance of the building, turning to watch the building collapse in on itself with a groan and a cloud of dust. The two of them remained perfectly still and silent until Launa coughed a nervous laugh, still gripping his hand with a sweaty palm. “Well,” he said, “Good thing we got our shopping done before the store closed.”

Launa snorted hard and doubled over with silent laughter.  _Wow, adrenaline does funny things to the human body. Like, making us hysterical_. “Oh, dude,” she said, wiping tears from her eyes, “Can I just take a moment to appreciate you?”

Avi grinned down at her. “Hey, what’s the use of living if you’re not going to enjoy it?”

She removed her hand from his and patted him high up on the back. “You’re not half-bad, kid.”

"Kid?" He frowned at her, again, "I’m 24, woman."

"Oh, shit, you’re older than me," she said, wiping her sweaty hands on her pants before walking further into town, "I’m only 21."

"You’re barely legal to drink?"

"And enjoying it."

They continued on down the street, ignoring the grocery store as it collapsed a little further in on itself.  
______

Launa plopped herself down against a wall, sighing with relief and rolling her shoulder to ease the stress of carrying her heavy bag. “Well, what now?” She asked, not really expecting an answer. What could you do in a time like this?

He only hummed in response, not sure of what to say, shrugging on a long brown coat he’d found. It wasn’t something she would have picked up, herself, but he seemed to have a good reason. “Well,” he started slowly, his voice rumbling the still air around them, “I’m going to head West. I have friends and family in California, and people are more likely to head toward a body of water.”

"You have a point." Her heart sank at his words. She didn’t know where to go or what to do, even with him with her. What was she going to do if he left?

He eased himself down to sit next to her, watching her braid her deep red hair. He paused for a long moment, chewing his lip. “Do you want to come with me?”

She turned to look at him. “For real?”

He smiled wide, again- an expression that he seemed fond of wearing. “Yes, for real,” he said, nodding and shaking his long hair from his eyes, “Unless you have somewhere else to go?”

Launa tied the end of her braid off and played with the end. “No, not really,” she answered, “I mean, the only place I would go is northwest, so I suppose, even though I do have elsewhere to go, we’re going the same way.”

"It’ll be a long way," Avi warned.

"Bitch, please." She snorted, shuffling in her seat under his intense gaze, "Lord of the Rings was my childhood."

He nodded in a sage-like manner. “Oh, Tolkein, how you have prepared us for the apocalyptic time in our lives with a brilliant display of how much walking is usually involved.”

Launa snorted hard. “Ohh, you’re funny,” she said, smiling at him as she pulled out a bottle of water, “I like that.”

"You like Lord of the Rings," he answered, quirking an eyebrow at her, "I like  _that_.”

They giggled like a pair of idiots for a moment, fading into comfortable silence. He was easy to get along with, and she found herself, once again, thanking the powers that be that she found herself with such an easy-going travelling companion. “It’s getting dark.” She observed, gesturing to the darkening sky.

"Want to get some sleep?"

"That’d be great, but where?"

"Well," he hauled himself off the ground, brushing his pants off, "we could attempt to sleep on the hard concrete, or we could try raiding another house?"

Launa nodded, getting to her feet and groaning, cracking her back. “Yeah, sounds good,” she said, before adding, “Let’s just hope there’s not another disembowled or decapitated person in there.”

Avi shuddered. “Thanks for that.”

"You’re welcome!" She chirped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

Launa woke slowly, squinting against the sun that filtered into the room and groaning. Ugh, she hated mornings. She reached to her left for her nightstand to grapple for her phone, only to have her arm swing into something warm and snoring. She yelped when she made contact with it and sat up, eyes wide, horribly confused as to why there was a man in her bed. It hit her, after a moment- the memory of everything that had happened. The earthquake, the fear, being pinned under the building and getting help from a man named Avi- who was currently snoring softly with his back to her- and then raiding the town for supplies. And the bodies of the other stragglers. Launa nearly heaved at the memory.

 _Jesus_ , she thought, rubbing her face and smushing her cheeks,  _I have some seen some shit._ She stood to readjust her jeans that had been twisted in the night, cringing slightly at the thought of having slept in someone else’s bed- but what could they have done? They’d squabbled a little, both insisting that the other take the bed and refusing to sleep in separate rooms, both wanting to watch the other’s back- but really, they were too scared to be alone, but neither would admit it. So, they ended up here, back to back in the master bedroom of the house, talking quietly before drifting off.

Launa stretched and cracked her spine, looking back at him, admiring the way his curls fanned out over the pillow. She allowed herself a small smile before snapping her focus back to the situation.  _You need to not do that, kid_ , she berated herself,  _Ragnarok waits for no one- especially little girls with crushes_. She sighed as her stomach growled. Ugh, food.

She knelt beside her bag, digging through it to find something resembling breakfast. “Score.” she murmured, pulling out a can of Spaghetti-o’s and dashed down the stairs to see if the microwave would work. As luck would have it, it did- she thanked the universe for being kind to her, thus far- and she heated it up in a little bowl she found and quickly dug through the cabinets in an attempt to find coffee.

"Coffee," she sang under her breath, "Coffee coffee coffee coffee. Where are you, coffee?" She groaned. There wasn’t a single ground or bean in sight. Not even a coffee machine. "Okay, how about caffeinated tea?"

A monstrous yawn from the stairs behind her made her jump. She whirled around, a spoon in her hand, and found Avi standing there, ruffling his hair and squinting at her. “‘Morning,” he mumbled, “You raiding their cabinets, too?”

"I’m looking for something caffeinated," she explained, blushing at his accusation- however true it may be, "coffee, tea… caffeine pills…"

The corners of his mouth dropped and a deep furrow appeared between his eyebrows. “Ugh, I hate coffee.”

Launa gasped dramatically and mimed clutching her pearls. “You hate coffee?” he nodded, the comical frown still etched into his features. She pointed to the door. “Get out, we can’t be friends.”

He just laughed at her and glanced at the microwave. “How the hell is the electricity still working?” he wondered, “I thought all the power lines went down.”

"I’m not gonna ask, and I’m not gonna complain," she said, opening the microwave door before it beeped, "I just know that if we’re Sam and Frodo-ing it to Cali, it’s not always gonna be this easy. Spaghetti-o’s?" She offered the bowl to him.

Avi shrugged. “Sure. Is there another can?”

She simply handed him the bowl and spoon, opting to give him the stuff already prepared and went to fetch herself another. As she was heating it up, he sat at small table in the kitchen. “Mmm,” he hummed, “Tomato sauce and floppy, shaped spaghetti that smells like vomit. The breakfast of champions.”

Launa made a disgusted noise. “You sound like my mother.”

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

She smiled softly at him. “It’s usually a good thing. Until it comes to Spaghetti-o’s. She always said they smelled like barf.”

Avi snorted around a mouthful of the stuff, swallowing hard. “Well, it’s true!”

She punched him lightly in the shoulder before retrieving her breakfast. “Whatever, dude.”  
______

They gathered themselves quickly, and set out, pausing only to see if there was some sort of coffee in the next house, which, much to Launa’s delight, there was. She’d find a way to brew it, later. They judged roughly which way was correct by the early-morning position of the sun and headed off in the opposite direction, each carrying a bag slung over their shoulders.

"You know," she said, breaking the silence that had fallen between them, "we should find a river and follow that. I think there’s one that’ll lead to Cali."

He glanced over at her, frowning slightly and dug in his pocket to pull out a map. “I think you’re right.”

"Dude," she cried, "good thinking! Have you always had that?"

Avi shrugged. “Nah, I grabbed it from the store before it gave up the ghost.”

They quickly figured out where they were in Colorado on the map and headed in the direction of the river, deciding that they would follow it rather than a road. It would take them where they needed to go, and they’d have a fresh water source at almost any given time. “We’ll just boil the crap out of it before using it.” Launa said, though she wasn’t sure that would get rid of all of the bacteria and yuck. It certainly wouldn’t hurt.

Upon the agreement, they set off, clambering over debris and rubble to find their guiding river, starting in Grand Junction. It was fairly easy to find, thankfully, and they continued on their course, aiming first for Marble Canyon in Arizona. It was a relatively straight shot, which Launa was grateful for.

By noon, they had both shed their jackets, and were sweating under the high sun. “Ugh,” she groaned, “can we take a break?”

Avi muttered an ‘oh, thank God’ as he promptly dropped his pack onto the ground and bent, resting his hands on his knees. “Hey,” he called, “you still got those things for your hair?”

Launa nodded, digging in her pack and tossing them to him, flopping against the rough ground, grumbling as a rock met the back of her cranium. “Blech,” she tossed the offending stone into the Colorado river, “Fuck rocks.” They’d been walking for several hours and had only made it as far as Fruita- or what was left of it. She heard Avi sigh in relief and she glanced over at him, snorting at the little tail he’d tied at the back of his head, effectively tying back the hair that kept falling into his face. She couldn’t stop the tiny laugh that bubbled up.

"What’s so funny?" he asked, pulling the rest of his hair up and away from his neck to allow it to cool off.

"You have a topknot." She grinned cheekily at him.

The comical frown set deep into his face again. “Hey, it works for me. It’s more comfortable than rattling my brain around to keep this out of my face.”

She rolled over onto her stomach, propping her head up with both of her hands, still smiling like a small child. “You have a topknot.”

Avi sighed, frustrated and sat in the dirt, kicking at one of the sparse plants before digging into his bag to pull out a bottle of water, taking a swig from it. Launa quickly scrambled from her position on the ground, finding that the heat was seeping from the sandy dirt through her shirt and was burning her sensitive skin. “It’s going to get hotter,” he called over his shoulder at her, “You sure you want to still travel with me?”

Launa crossed her arms and huffed. “Of course I do.”

"Don’t do it just to be stubborn."

"I’m not." He turned to give her a dubious stare, an eyebrow quirked. She raised her hands, flailing, "I’m not!" she insisted.

The corner of his mouth turned up and he nodded. “Okay.”

"Okay!"

Silence fell between them, again, and Launa dug through her own bag, doing a quick check of everything she had. Canned goods and non-perishables? Check. Heaps of bottled water? Check. Change of clothes? Check. Her own personal items that would inevitably become necessary as this trip would probably last more than a month by foot? Check and double check. “Hey, Avi?” He hummed in response. “We should see if we can find a camping store, somewhere, before we head out into the desert, especially if we’re gonna try drinking from the river. We’ll need those purifying tablet things.”

"Oh, good point."

They sat for another minute or so, cooling off and revelling in whatever breeze blew by before gathering their bags and started off down the side of the river, again. “Want me to carry anything?” Avi offered, stretching his hand out to her.

She shook her head no. “I’m an Irish farmgirl- I can handle this.”

"Irish, hm?"

"And Scottish." Launa pointed at her dark red braid. "Check the hair."

She paused. “And raised with a Norwegian Grandmother, so, sorry about the stubborn.”

That made him laugh quietly. “I’ve got a stubborn set of friends- I think I can handle it.”

"What about you?"

"Hmm? Am I stubborn, you mean?"

"No, no," she shook her head and pulled her long braid over one shoulder, "I’m Irish, yadda yadda- what about you?"

"Oh," he readjusted his bag, "Russian Jewish."

Launa smiled. “Cool beans!” she said, elbowing him, “See, that’s one more thing we know about each other.”

Avi returned her smile, nodding. “And one more thing that we know that neither of us were built for this kind of weather.”

"No shit."

If they continued on this friendly path of conversations, this could shape up to be a very tolerable trip, despite the amount of sun they were both getting and the inevitable sun burns. Launa found herself just the tiniest bit excited about the rest of the journey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

By the time they had stopped for the night, they had reached a major curve in the river. Launa was thankful for the stopping point and the coolness of the evening as it settled upon them. She sank slowly to the ground, groaning as her hips and knees protested at the amount of usage they’d had over the day. Avi dropped his bag next to her and wandered off, shrugging on his long, brown coat. “Where you goin’?” Launa called.

"Trying to find some firewood," he said, glancing around and bending to investigate some wood.

Launa cleared her throat to catch his attention. “Tinder and fire?” She pulled a lighter and a thick notebook from her bag, “How about yes?”

He frowned. “That’s not very safe, and it won’t last long.”

She shrugged. “Well, it’s better than searching for something that isn’t there.”

A few minutes passed of her arranging rocks to contain the flame she had yet to start, and a bunch of those weird bushes they’d seen along the way were dropped right next to her. “Those will burn,” Avi stated simply, dropping to his knees beside her, and took starting the fire off her hands.

"Thanks." Launa said quietly, handing the lighter over, watching him intently as he lit the plant up and placed it gently among the rest of them. She bit her lip and cursed herself for admiring the length of his eyelashes.  _ **Stop that**. You need to focus on getting to LA, and then back home. That’s all that matters._  She jumped when his gaze flicked to hers.

"You okay?" Avi asked, his green eyes flickering over her face.  
She nodded and closed her eyes, rubbing her face with her hand.

"Yeah, yeah," she half-lied, "I’m just tired. And have a headache. Caffeine deprivation will do that to me."

"We have ibuprofen, don’t we?" She felt him lean past her to grab at her bag and heard him dig into the medicine pocket. "Aha. Here." She reopened her eyes to find him offering the bottle to her.

Launa offered him a small smile. “Thanks.” He just nodded in response, digging back into the bag for the single pan they had and a can of anything.

"This sound good?" He held the can up for her to see in the dim light and she agreed, and he went about heating it up.

"I can get that," she protested, feeling bad that he was doing everything, "Here, lemme-"

Avi pointed at her. “Aahh- no. Just take care of your headache. I’l let you know when it’s done.” Launa grumped at him and attempted to mimic his awful frown, the muscles in her face straining to look just as menacing.

He glanced over and spluttered, laughing. “What’s with the face?”

"I’m annoyed at you," she exclaimed, struggling to keep the downturn to her mouth, "why won’t you let me do something to help?"

"Because, you’re in pain." He pushed her in the shoulder in an attempt to knock her down. "Lay down and take care of your headache. I’ve got this, I promise."

Launa stuck her tongue out at him and laid down, curling on her side with her back to him.

"I saw that."

"You saw nothing- just cook." She heard him laugh quietly under his breath.

Their old friend silence overtook them, not a sound breaking through it but the crackle of the fire and quiet trickle of the river. Launa wasn’t used to nature sounds. She was a city girl, without a doubt. The only sounds of nature she was used to were the deafening silence of falling snow and the incessant screeching of magpies and ravens. She suddenly missed home so much that it made her chest ache.

"You’re not from this area, are you?" Avi asked quietly, his voice practically vibrating the ground beneath them.

Launa shook her head, moving to cradle it in the crook her elbow. “No- I’m from up North.”

"So, you said," he paused for a moment, the wooden spoon scraping the inside of the pan softly as he held it over the fire, "how NorthWest is your NorthWest?"

"What’s that supposed to mean?"

He shifted in place. “I mean, are you from Washington, or are you further North than that?”

"Oh, hell, no, fuck Washington," she spat involuntarily. She despised the state, simply for who lived there, and she didn’t dwell on that. "I’m way further up than that. Try Alaska."

His surprise was nearly tangible. “Holy shit,” he swore, “What are you doing down here?”

Launa sighed and turned onto her other side to face him. “I was visiting a friend, and ended up running out of money, so I had to stay for awhile before I could go back.” She chewed her lip for a moment. “What about you? You don’t talk like the people around here.”

Avi gave her a small, slightly crooked smile. “No, I grew up in California. I live in LA.”

"Lucky."

He snorted, stirring the soup. “I could say the same for you.” Launa hummed, urging him to continue. “I’m not a big fan of summer and the heat. It’s not a bad thing, but I much prefer winter.”

"Ever been to ye olde Last Frontier?" She mocked the title of her home state. He gave a disappointed expression and shook his head.

"I’d love to visit, sometime, though."

 _I wouldn’t mind you visiting_. She ignored the little stupid person in her head. “It can be pretty,” she said, “y’know, if you’re into snow, moose, and a shit-ton of mountains.”

Avi nodded. “I am kind of into that, though.” He paused, bringing the pan close to his face to inspect its contents. “Soup’s done.”

______

Avi stretched and flopped backward onto the ground, grunting at the force of his fall. Launa swallowed her last bit of soup, trying not to grin as she watched him roll onto his side. “You going to sleep, already?”

"Mmmyeah, I think so." He yawned, long and loud and curled in on himself, propping his head up on his elbow.

Launa leaned back on her hands, enjoying the food-warmth in her stomach, feeling herself starting to drift off. “Should one of us stay up to watch our stuff?

He hummed for a moment. “No, I think we should be fine,” he said turning over to face her, being careful to not stick his boots into the campfire, “we haven’t seen anyone living since we met. We should be safe from thieves.”

"Watch: we’re gonna get burgled, tonight." She laughed stretching out onto her back and turning her gaze skyward. The sky was clear, tonight, and she glanced over the constellations.  _At least those are the same_. She recognized Orion and the Big Dipper, tracing them in the air with her fingers.

After a moment, Launa flicked her gaze over to the man beside her. He’d closed his eyes, but she could tell he was not yet asleep. She gave a soft sigh and turned onto her side, facing him, but leaving a good two feet between them. “You’re homesick.” He observed quietly, and she was almost startled to find him looking at her.  _Geez, dude, turn the intensity down, would ya?_

She felt herself nod, and concern etched into his face. “We’ll get you home,” Avi said, reaching out to gently squeeze her hand, “I promise.”

"You, too." That earned her another smile, and he retracted his hand, as though he didn’t wish to invade her space- which she appreciated.

"Good night." He called, closing his eyes.

"Good night."  
______

Sometime in the night, Launa shivered herself awake.  _That’s so not fair, climate. You can’t be sweltering during the day and then freezing at night. That’s cheating._  She willed herself to go back to sleep, but found it difficult with her teeth chattering.

A thick fabric was laid over her, and a mass of warmth was pressed against her back. Startled, she looked over her shoulder to find that Avi had draped his coat over the top of the both of them and laid near her, his back pressing into hers. She squirmed inwardly at the popping of her personal space, but couldn’t help but feel grateful for the heat.  _Why are guys always so warm?_  she thought just before drifting off, a quiet snore vibrating his back against hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

Launa awoke slowly to the sound of Avi shuffling around, the sandy dirt scraping beneath his boots. The environment, despite what she’d been expecting, was a little less of a shock, this time, which she suspected had something to do with the soreness caused by sleeping on the ground. She groaned and rubbed her face to wake herself up.

"Good morning," Avi greeted her quietly, easing to the ground to sit beside her, "Sleep okay?"

She grunted at him. “Given that I was sleeping on dirt and haven’t camped in over a decade, yeah, I slept pretty well.” She stretched, and paused upon realizing that his coat was draped over her whole body. “Thanks, by the way.”

"No worries," he gave her a smile, "We don’t want you to get hypothermia."

Launa squinted up at the sky, glaring to the East at the rising sun. “I don’t know,” she groaned, “If today is anything like yesterday, I might welcome a little frostbite.”

"Come on," he laughed, pushing her gently in the shoulder, "We should get moving." She nodded and, with a sigh, hauled herself up.  
______

The day passed much like the one before, trudging along with the wide river at their right, pausing at noon to take a break, thankful for every breeze that passed their way. The squishy, sand-like dirt did not ease their travels, either, though Launa remarked something about her ‘legs were gonna look fabulous when they were done’. Avi just chuckled at her and told her she sounded like a friend of his.

Joking and laughter seemed to be the only thing to ease the strain of their journey. They traded bits of information about themselves, back and forth, carrying on conversation and comfortable silences as though they were simply hanging out.

Launa cried out in relief when he mentioned his love of music. “Oh, thank god,” she exclaimed, “I love music.”

Avi grinned wide. “Of everything that’s important to me, it’s way up on my list, right next to family and friends,” he paused, considering his words, “and food. I would kill for a burger.”

She groaned, mumbling about cheese-fries.

"Oh my gosh," he pushed her in the shoulder and she stumbled, laughing, "don’t get me started."

It was only when they stopped for the evening that the relative peace was disturbed.  
______

They plopped themselves down upon the ground next to the river, and Avi immediately pulled out the map, marking down where he supposed they were. “I figure we’re about halfway to the Monticello area,” he said, chewing on the end of the pen he’d found at the bottom of Launa’s bag, “we should see if we can find anyone, there.”

"Agreed." She frowned, suddenly worried. "You know, I’m still seeing damage from the earthquake out here."

"Well, yeah," he answered, capping the pen and tucking it and the map away in his coat pocket, "it was a pretty big one."

Launa wanted to argue that the damage should not have spread so far out, but bit her lip to rein in the urge.  _He might be right. Maybe it just was along a fault line_. She pulled her knees up to her chest, watching Avi start the campfire.  _But there’s no big fault lines in Colorado. The next one isn’t until around Grand Canyon, and that’s not even a high-frequencey area._

"My mother always said, ‘If you keep frowning like that, your face will freeze that way’," Avi called to her, startling her out of her thoughts,

"What are you thinking about that has you making that face?"

"Oh, nothing, just thinking." Launa said, dismissing him with a wave of her hand. She didn’t want to burden him with her worries. He squinted at her, studying her face, and she felt her cheeks heat up. "Seriously, I’m fine. Stop looking at me like that."

He looked her over and gave her a small nod. “Okay,” he murmured, turning to stoke the fire as well as he could, “If you want to talk about it, I’ll listen.”

They were quiet for a long while, Launa digging out a can of something-hopefully-edible and Avi poking at the fire to keep it going. He finally broke the silence as the food was cooking. “So,” he started, almost forcefully, “why do you dislike Washington?”

She groaned. “My Dad lives there.”

She felt his eyes on her, again. “You aren’t on good terms with him?”

"Not really."

Avi chewed his lip for a moment, as if weighing whether or not he should press further. “Don’t want to talk about it?”

"He yelled a lot, cheated on my Mom, ran off with the bitch, and married her." She sighed, speaking quickly, praying to have this conversation end quickly.

"I’m so sorry." His voice was quiet, a note of regret ringing through it. "What about your Mom?"

"She’s up North with my Grandmother." Launa quickly turned the questioning away from herself. "What about you? Your parents together, still?"

She watched a smile stretch across his face. “Yeah,” he turned his grin to her, “you have siblings?”

"Nah. Just me. You?"

"I have a brother and a sister. I’m the youngest."

They settled comfortably into the conversation, trading more information back and forth, laughing at the weird facts they pulled out. Launa could crack every joint in her body, which made him shudder and gag slightly. Avi could hit a note so low that she felt it in her guts more than she heard it. “That’s impressive, dude,” she exclaimed, grinning widely, “ _please_ tell me that you sing, cos to not utilize that voice would be a travesty.”

He laughed nervously and ran a hand through the hair curling at the base of his neck. “Yeah. Just for fun, though.”

A low rumbling suddenly vibrated the ground beneath them, rising rapidly into a rolling motion in the earth. Launa felt nauseated at the motion, instantly reminded of the collapse of her apartment complex. They braced themselves against the trembling ground, unsure of what to do.

"There’s no fault line, here," Launa breathed shakily, "There should be no earthquakes here."

Fear shot ice into her stomach as a cracking and crumbling sound filled the air, followed quickly by a rush of water.  _The ground is splitting open_. “We have to move! Come on!” She cried, grabbing her bag and pulling hard on Avi’s coat. “Come on, _move_!” She helped him to his feet, handing him his bag as they scrambled away from the growing crack in the earth. They had trouble keeping their balance as the dirt beneath them pitched and rolled, one particularly rough rock sent them flying forward, almost into the river.

Launa and Avi watched in horror as the river began draining into the growing split.  _No no no no, very, extremely **not good**_.

The earth finally ceased its rolling motion, leaving them dizzy . Launa crawled to the edge of the split, peering down into it, relieved to find that it wasn’t all that deep, and that the river simply had a new path that criss-crossed its old one. “Be careful,” Avi called, standing on shaky legs, “there might be an aftershock.”

"I know," she replied, scooting back carefully from the edge, suddenly sick with the fear of being thrown in by another quake, "well. That was exciting." She followed the line of the too-wide split with her eyes. "I guess we aren’t going back the way we came. Look how far it goes."

"No, I guess not." Avi joined her and too, looked over the edge, sighing, "There goes dinner."

Launa cast her gaze back into the pit, watching as the remains of the soup got washed away by the water and groaned. “Maybe we can still save the pan?”

They managed to fish the pan out of the new river before it could make much of an escape, and decided to settle, once again, a little way away from the crack, both nervous to be anywhere near it, should an aftershock rip it open even further or pitch them into it.

They decided to just wait until morning to eat, not wanting to waste anymore food than was necessary. Sure, Monticello was nearby, but they didn’t want to wipe out any more of their supply.  _Better safe than sorry._

Launa didn’t want to ask Avi to share his coat, again, afraid that she’d come off as pathetic. He offered it to her, smiling kindly as she chattered out a thank you, the chill already setting in. They laid as they did the night before, their backs to each other and pressed together, wishing the other a good night.

After a half hour, Launa’s mind was still doing aerobics with the remainder of her adrenaline, and she still didn’t hear him snoring. “You still awake?” she spoke softly, not wanting to disturb him if he was, in fact, sleeping and was oddly silent.

"Yeah," he sighed, "Can’t sleep?"

"No. My brain won’t shut up." She felt him turn onto his back, his elbow pushing gently into the small of her back.

"Whoa," Avi breathed, almost inaudibly, before elbowing her in the back, "Launa, look at this."

She turned halfway onto her back, and onto his arm, to follow the line of his pointing finger as he pointed upwards. Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open in a quiet gasp. “Holy-“

Even in the darkness of the North, the city lights choked out almost all of the starlight. She had never seen the night sky like this, splashed with stars, like tiny diamonds spilled heavily across black velvet.

They laid silent for a long while, staring skyward, entranced like the couple of city kids they were, until sleep finally claimed them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

She was shaken awake, a low, low voice calling her name and she instinctually punched the air above her, smacking her assailant in the face, who jerked back and groaned. Launa bolted upright, not entirely awake but ready to defend herself, raising her fists to defend and attack. “Whozerr?” she slurred, shaking her head to clear it of sleep, “Oh.”

Avi sat in the dirt by her feet, holding his cheek in his hand and glaring up at her. “You’re welcome.” He spat, angrily.

Her wits snapped back as she awoke fully and she knelt next to him, panicking. “Oh, shit, I’m so sorry,” she was flustered and embarrassed, “Are you okay? I’m so sorry!”

He shook his head and waved her away. “I’m fine,” he assured her, “I was just trying to wake you up. You sounded upset.”

Launa buried her face in her hands. This day was not going to go well, she could feel it. “I think I might have been having a bad dream. Gods, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to punch you.” She apologize once more to be sure.

"Don’t worry about it," Avi ran his hand over his face for a moment, "Good morning."

She shrunk in embarrassment.  
______

After the eventful morning, or early noon, rather, they quickly ate breakfast and started off down the side of the river. They had woken up late, which she suspected had to do with the copious amounts of adrenaline that had been dumped into their systems the previous evening when the second earthquake hit. She didn’t mind sleeping in, but it had cut into their travel time, and Avi was grumpy.

Of all the things she had learned about them in their four days together, she found that there were two things about him that she didn’t like: First, that he didn’t like coffee, which was a sin in and of itself, in her opinion. And second, she didn’t like him when he was cranky. God _damn_  the man could be bitchy. She tried to start a conversation and he quickly shut it down with a grunted reply.

Three hours into the day, she couldn’t handle it , anymore. “What the hell,” she snapped, “has got your panties in a twist?”

He stopped short and whirled to glare at her. “Excuse me?”

"What. The. Hell. Has. Got. Your. _Panties_. In. A.  _Twist_?” She articulated each word, far angrier than she had meant to be, but found her temper flaring.

Avi huffed. “I hadn’t wanted to start so late in the day,” he stated, calmly, but there was an undertone of anger, “but, we did. I’m just annoyed.”

"Annoyed?"

"Yeah," he snapped, raising his voice as he turned and started walking, again, " _Annoyed._ ”

Launa stormed forward to walk in-step with him. “Look, I know that I’m the reason we started late,” she said, pulling angrily at the strap of her bag, “but, you don’t need to be rude to me.”

"Says the woman who asked me what had ‘my panties in a twist’." He didn’t look at her.

She glared at him and clenched her fists, walking faster to be ahead of him. She seethed. She hated being made to feel guilty. She knew he wanted to get home- hell, she did, too- and she knew that she’d been a hindrance, this morning.  _Everyone makes mistakes, and I get it. I’d be annoyed, too, but I wouldn’t start taking it out on him unless he’d done it, to me, several times. We lost a couple of hours, big fucking deal. Shit stain._  
______

Launa refused to speak to him for the rest of the day and through the evening, not caring if she was being childish. It wasn’t as though he had tried to speak to her, again. She was starting to wonder if this had been a bad idea- travelling with him. _No,_  she thought as she laid down, her back to him,  _I would’ve had to have made it out of the building faster in order to have changed this, at all, and I took the time to grab supplies. I am obviously meant to be here._

She curled in on herself against the cold, mouth set in a hard line. She didn’t like the way her heart twinged at his quiet sigh. She hated feeling guilty- not for waking up late, but for how she was acting. Launa listened to him lower himself onto the ground, laying down for the night.

Despite her better judgement, she let herself glance over her shoulder. She sighed heavily, but inaudibly.

He had left his coat out in the space between them.  
______

Avi awoke to sound of the fire crackling. Groaning and tugging on his hair, he glanced skyward, squinting in confusion at the sun barely over the horizon in the East. Turning to find the source of the quiet noise, he found Launa cooking. “What are you doing up so early?” he croaked, clearing his throat.

The young woman jumped in her seat next to the fire. “Uh,” she started, “I woke up early, and couldn’t get back to sleep. Tried taking a dip in the river.” She gestured to her hair, the water having darkened it to maroon.

"Don’t follow my example." She offered him some food.

He mumbled a thanks as he took his bowl. A heavy silence fell between them as they had breakfast.

"I’m sorry," Launa muttered, setting her bowl down, "I was a bitch, yesterday."

Avi nearly choked, shaking his head, “Nonono,” he said, swallowing a mouthful hard, “I had no right to be so angry. I’m sorry.” He made sure she looked him in the eye. “Forgive me.”

Launa had always been uncomfortable with eye-contact, and his bright green gaze was no exception. “Only if you forgive me,” she said with a smile, unable to make herself continue to hold eye-contact, instead focusing on his bearded chin. His smile was still visible to her, and he nodded.

"Agreed." They were quiet for another moment or so. "I need a shave, don’t I?"

A laugh burst from her mouth. “Um, kinda.”

He curled his lip and scratched at his jaw. “Yeah,” he sighed, digging through his bag, drawing out a small knife, “I’ll be back.”

Launa watched him walk towards the river.  _Nice ass_. She whipped her head around, eyes wide in bewilderment at her own thought. _Yeah, no, we need to not do that_. She nervously began braiding her hair, the only background noise was the fire and the scrape of his knife on his jaw.

He returned a few minutes later, looking a bit more like when she first met him. “Better, Riddick?” she teased as he sat back down.

"Who?"

She groaned. “Never mind.”  
______

The early hour of which they packed up and left gave them a little extra daylight to make up for the previous day, and it went generally without a hitch. Launa worried briefly over how she could feel a marked difference in the weight of her bag when they stopped to rest. Complaining about the pain in her shoulder, she slid her hoodie’s collar away along with her shirt and under-tank to inspect the joint, finding a long bruise crossing the top of it.

After a brief inspection, they found that he had the same and they concluded it was simply from the weight of their packs.

They had come to the Arches National Park- according to Avi’s map- when they settled for the night. They hadn’t spoken much, but it was a pleasant quiet.

"Do you have anyone other than family waiting for you?" His question came as a shock.

"I," Launa stammered, "What?" He blinked owlishly at her, waiting for her answer as she lit the tiny bushes. "I don’t have a lot of friends, if that’s what you mean."

"No, I mean, are you involved with someone?"

She took a moment to admire that he didn’t assume she was straight- even if she was, the openness of the question was nice. “No,” she answered, turning her attention back to the dried plant, “I haven’t been with anyone in a couple of years. You?” She ignored the way her heart stuttered as she waited for his answer.

"No, I’m just about the same."

What had been a comfortable atmosphere became very awkward, at least to her. Maybe he was completely at ease _. Maybe you’re the freak_. She shushed herself.

Turning in for the night, she arranged herself in the usual manner, and he soon followed. She woke sometime in the night, mortified to find herself turned around with her forehead resting between his shoulder blades. She quickly righted herself and drowned in embarrassment for a good half hour before finally falling back asleep.

_Maybe you’re the freak, Launa._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

The following morning, Launa studied the map, frowning as she slowly chewed her breakfast. “You know,” she said, pointing to the course of the river, “The Colorado lines up with the highway, here. We should be coming up on it, soon.”

Avi sat next to her, his hip pressed to hers, and he leaned in to squint at the map. “Yes,” he agreed, “You’re absolutely right. And,” he ran his finger along the line of the highway, “if we follow that, we’ll end up in Moab.”

Launa nodded and turned to look at him, startled at how close he was. “It’s closer than Monticello, that’s for sure, and we won’t have to deviate from the river to get to it.”

"That is true." He studied the map a little while longer, scratching idly at his chin. She got up, handing the map over and muttered something about her mouth feeling like death, digging through her bag to pull out mouthwash she’d thought to grab from the store.

"Alright," she said, sighing in relief at the mintiness as she handed the bottle to him at his request, "Next destination: Moab?"

He nodded and turned to spit the mouthwash out behind him. “Sounds good.”  
______

The flatness of the land had unnerved her, but felt strangely closed in when they started to enter canyon territory. She’d grown up around mountains her whole life, but she wasn’t used to huge pieces of rock being so close. She was grateful for the shade they provided, though. Even though the temperature had dropped somewhat throughout the week, the shade was welcomed with open arms.

"Hey," Avi suddenly asked for her attention, "Do you know what day it is?"

Launa counted how many days it had been since the earthquake that drove them from Grand Junction, then added that to the date. “Uh.. October 2nd, I think.”

He swore under his breath. “We’ve already been at this for two weeks?” She nodded. “Not half bad, now that I think about it.”

Launa grinned and elbowed him in his side. “We’re sturdy bitches.”   
______

Moab was a decently sized town- about as big as her hometown. The stillness to it was eerie. Vehicles lay thrown about, as though they were toys, houses collapsed in on themselves. The two of them dared not set foot in the residential houses. If there had been any stragglers, two weeks- especially in this heat- would have had no mercy on their bodies. It was far safer to chance the shopping center of the town.

Launa squeezed through the door of a convenience store, pushing a board aside to allow Avi through. “Move quickly,” he reminded her, “Grab what you need. Don’t waste any time.” They flew through the store like starving thieves, grabbing non-perishables and bottles of water as fast as they could. Launa paused to grab more water-purifying tablets and scrambled for the door when the structure creaked, protesting their disturbance.

Sitting on a bus stop bench, they paused to reorganize their packs, making room for the new items. Launa waved a bag of peppermints above her head in triumph. “We didn’t need that,” he scolded her, giving her half of his comical frown, “you just-“

"Oh, shut up," she interrupted, pressing a peppermint into his palm, "mouthwash helps in the morning, but our breath smells like a cadaver by the time we’re done for the night."

Avi gave her a disgusted look, but popped the mint in his mouth all the same.

They wandered the town for awhile, not entirely sure of where to go from there. “What now?” She wondered aloud, “It looks like the whole town’s been evacuated.”

"And eviscerated." He added, frowning at the landscape, taking in the collapsing buildings in various states of destruction.

"Well put."

"Thanks." Avi stopped mid-stride and turned to face her. "Want to get out of here?"

Launa considered it for a second before glancing to the sun. “It’s gonna get dark, soon. Maybe we can try to find a house that doesn’t have a dead body?”

He smiled, charmingly so, and agreed, heading toward the residential area, once more. “I love that that’s a normal sentence for us.”  
______

It took a couple of tries to get a house without the stench of death in it. Thankfully, it took just a glimpse of a shoe or a hand to warn them against it, but Avi, literally, stumbled on a victim and fled the house, heaving. She rubbed his back as he bent over, forcing down her own nausea, trying hard not to think about the damage his boot had caused in the tender flesh of the body.

They continued the searching, finally happening upon a blessedly empty house that still stood in relative sturdiness. They made their way in, tentatively stepping over the threshold, the photos and art hanging on the walls telling the story of the family that once lived there- a single mother with twin girls, a dog, and a bird. The empty cage hung suspended in the corner of the living area and kibble was strewn across the kitchen floor. Launa made her way upstairs, trying to force herself to look past the girls’ bedroom and failed miserably, peering inside despite her better judgement. It was all orange and pink- one of the twins had been interested in art and frogs, the other half of the room had a soccer trophy and a stuffed tiger. Her heart clenched.  _Children lived here. What if they’re not alive, anymore?_

"Launa?" Avi’s rumbling voice startled her, and she gasped, unaware that she had stopped breathing. His hand came to rest just below her shoulder blades. He glanced over the room and swallowed hard, pulling her away from the door. "Come on." He stepped into her view, effectively blocking her from the room.

She took in a shuddering breath as they made their way down the hall to the master bedroom, their boots heavy and loud on the hardwood floor. He wrapped his arm firmly around her. “Come on.” He repeated, giving her a gentle push through the door.

Launa sat heavily on the large bed, the covers only slightly desheveled. It had been made, but had been jumped on by a dog, it appeared. She buried her face in her hands. Gods, this was so much worse than she expected.  _Get your shit together. Don’t cry_. Avi took her bag from her, moving slowly so as to not to disturb her, and placed both packs in the corner of the room. Her breathing was unsteady as he sat next to her. “I’m sorry,” she apologized without thinking, ashamed of how badly the house was affecting her, “I’m sorry, I’m not usually this wimpy.”

"You’re not wimpy," he assured her, and pulled her close with one arm, "It’s okay." He rubbed her shoulder. "Let’s try to get some sleep."

She nodded, and he stood to leave the room. “Avi?” Her voice sounded smaller than she would have liked. He stopped and faced her. “Um-“

"Do you want me to sleep on the floor?" he offered, answering her question before she asked it with a soft smile, "or do you mind me being up here, too?"

"I don’t mind." Launa answered hesitantly, relieved when he returned, sitting on the opposite side of the bed. She removed her boots and her hoodie, sighing quietly in relief. Had she really had on her boots for the whole week? Ugh. She carefully laid her head on the pillow, silently apologizing to the woman who once owned the house, whether she be alive or not, for messing up her bed.

She heard Avi’s coat hit the floor along with his boots and she glanced over her shoulder to see him taking the tail out of his hair, shaking it loose. She tried to settle into the bed, pulling the covers over her shoulders, but remained close to the edge. “Are you going to be okay?” he asked softly.

Launa sighed a little. “Yeah,” she replied, “once we leave this house.” She sniffed, finding that she had started to cry. _Ugh, stop crying_. “Sorry.”

The pressure of Avi’s hand found her shoulder, again. “You don’t need to apologize,” he said, withdrawing his hand to climb under the covers, “It’s upsetting.” She pulled her knees up, curling in on herself. “Also, the bed isn’t going to eat you if you actually get into it.”

"I am in it!" She retorted, flapping the covers at him. "See?"

"You’re gonna roll off," he argued, "you move a lot in your sleep."

"Well, you snore."  _You sound like an old married couple._  Launa shushed the crazy person in her head, nearly yelping when a mass of heat met her back. “What the fuck- we don’t have to do this. We kind of have a bigger covering than your coat, dingbat.”

"I know." he stated matter-of-factly, resting his arm on hers with his hand by her shoulder and his chest to her back, "But I don’t want you roll off the edge."

She grumbled low in her throat and squirmed back, pushing him backwards. “Fine,” she spat, “see? I’m away from the edge.”

"Good." He still didn’t move away from her.

"Avi."

"Shh, I’m comfortable," he breathed, "If you make me move, I won’t be able to fall asleep."

Launa rolled her eyes, glancing over her shoulder to find him curled against her back. “This is relatively inappropriate, Avriel.”

"I’m not moving from this spot."

"Goddammit, son-"

"Are you really not okay with me being this close to you?" His eyes flicked open to meet hers, "Tell me the truth. If you are, I’ll move. I promise."

She fidgeted for a moment. On one hand, she hadn’t slept like this with anyone since her last boyfriend, and that was mildly weird and uncomfortable. On the other, his presence so close in this abandoned house was reassuring. She laid her head back down. “No,” she admitted quietly, “You’re fine where you are.”

Silence finally fell between the pair, and sleep began to tug on the edges of her consciousness. “Also,” Avi said quietly, “if I snore, just tell me to roll over.”

A smile pulled at Launa’s lips. “Good night, Avi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

Launa woke the slowest she had in years, feeling completely engulfed in warmth, she inhaled deeply through her nose and stretched lazily. She didn’t get very far into her stretch, finding Avi’s arm draped over her waist and him snoring quietly into her shoulder. She swallowed hard, not daring to breathe too deeply for fear of waking him.  _Oh, what to do? This is not a position I should be in. We’ve known each other for maybe a little over two weeks, so, this definitely is not a thing I should be allowing to happen._

She bit her lip, the two arguing halves of her brain tossing her struggle around.  _But, you guys are in a stressful situation. It would make sense to act like this- like you’ve known each other for years._

_But, on the other hand-_

_-That’s three hands-_

_-he might just be a cuddly sleeper?_

_And so are you. You like to cuddle. Just because you don’t do it, like, ever, doesn’t mean you don’t want to. And why not? He’s comfy-_

_**SHUT UP**._  Launa had the sheets in a white-knuckle grip. She hated the pinging conversations in her skull. She didn’t hear voices- just the many sides of an argument within her own brain, and it truly gave her a headache, sometimes.

Avi suddenly shifted behind her, sighing in his sleep, pulling her tighter against him and rubbing his face momentarily into the back of her neck. She remained motionless, holding her breath, a warm  _something_  running down her spine and clenching her stomach.

After another few moments of consideration, Launa let out an inaudible sigh and settled back against his torso, allowing herself the comfort.

 _Just this once_ , she promised herself, slipping back into sleep’s welcome embrace.  
______

"Hey." A low, warm voice drifted into her ears, waking her, once more. Peeling her eyelids open, she saw Avi sitting next to her on the edge of the bed, giving her one of his charming and slightly crooked smiles.

Launa swallowed, blinking slowly, trying to clear the sleep from her eyes. “Hey,” she croaked, “I didn’t wake up late, again, did I?”

"No, not at all," he replied, "I just wanted to bring you some good news."

She heaved herself up onto her elbows and squinted at him. “Okay?”

The usually open and warm smile that graced his lips suddenly became mischievous. ”There’s a truck next door that I can hotwire.”

Launa blinked at him. “You frighten me,” she said, after a moment’s pause, “just so you know.”  
______

They gathered their stuff quickly, stopping into town to grab as many water bottles as they could, hauling them back in heavy plastic bags and loading them into the back seat of the truck Avi had pinned as his victim. It wasn’t a bad vehicle, if Launa had to be honest. She didn’t know a lot about cars, but it was obvious that this thing had been someone’s baby. It was a dark-grey, silvery color, dusty from the earthquakes, and old- about mid 70’s, judging by the shape of its frame. There were oil and grease stains all over the garage floor- the door of it had been opened to allow whatever other vehicle had been parked next to it to exit, which was the only reason they could get in- and a toolbox sat nearby, with bits and bobs strewn across the floor.

They had made their way to the quickly-collapsing store and back on foot, not wanting to waste any of the gas- which they had also grabbed more of. They drained what was left at the gas station as best they could, filling up the only emergency gas container they could find. “Think this thing will get us very far?” Launa asked, helping him haul the heavy load into the truck.

"I hope so," Avi answered truthfully, "I don’t know what kind of miles per gallon it has, but, we’ll just have to see. " He opened the passenger door for her and helped her up as she grumbled angrily something about ‘discrimination against short people’.

He quickly heaved himself into the driver’s seat, mumbling a thanks to the owner for leaving the doors open under his breath and bent to get to the wires under the wheel. “This better work, dude,” Launa said, almost threatening, “cos I don’t want to have toted all that for nothing.”

Avi shushed her, carefully twisting the wires and searching for the starter. “It should,” he paused to shake the hair out of his eyes, “old cars like this should start like this-” the engine roared into life, and he immediately pumped the gas a couple of times to be sure it didn’t stall before grinning devilishly at her, “-no problem.”

Launa laughed aloud. “Oh, I could just-,” she didn’t finish and simply leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, “You’re brilliant. Still frightening, but brilliant.”

He just mirrored her laugh, the both of them giddy with the triumph- and the prospect of not having to walk for some amount of time. “So,” he started, backing the truck out of the garage carefully, “it looks like we have a little over three-quarters of a tank of gas, and I don’t want to hog this beast all to myself. Do you want to switch when we get to the half-point?”

"Um," she coughed, embarrassed, "I don’t know how to drive." The bewildered look on his face was amusing. "What?!"

Avi just rolled his eyes and sighed. “Okay, when we get back to something resembling civilization, remind to teach you how to drive.”

“ _You_  teach  _me_?”

"Yeah," he shrugged, carefully avoiding the vehicles scattered around the road, "Why not?"

She just snorted. “I’m a terrible student, just as a warning.”

"Good thing I’m a patient teacher, then." She eyed him from the passenger side, catching him quirking an eyebrow at her and smirking.

Launa sat silent for a moment, mouth slightly agape. She snapped it closed, considering their exchange.  _Did he just flirt with me?_  She grasped the oh-shit handle as they bumped over a crack in the road.  _Nah._  Her eyes flew open wide and she froze stiff in her seat as he gunned the engine without any warning, sending them speeding down the highway as they cleared the wreckage.

"There’s no need to go that fast, Avriel!" She shouted, mostly out of shock, smacking him in the shoulder.

"And there’s no reason I shouldn’t," he argued calmly, smoothly adjusting the gear-shift, "it’s not like there’s anyone on the road."

"It’s dangerous," Launa couldn’t seem to keep her voice down, "and you’re wasting gas!"

"I’m not, now! Maybe just a little when I first started, but not anymore!"

“ ** _Avi_**!”

He just laughed in response. “I won’t get us killed, I promise,” he drew in a deep breath, “I just missed driving, is all.”

She crossed her arms and hunkered down in her seat. She couldn’t deny it: The sensation of flying over the highway was freeing. She mentally cut him some slack- she probably would have done the same, if she knew how to drive. Launa turned her gaze out the passenger side window, watching the reddish landscape fly by and listening to Avi shift the gears every now and again.  _Whatever. So long as his speeding doesn’t kill us_. The little smile on his face was worth not bitching at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

It was around the time that they got to the Utah-Arizona state border that the tank on the truck hit the halfway point. “Okay,” Avi said, glowering at the gas gauge, “so the miles-per-gallon in this isn’t nearly as good as I had hoped.” 

Launa silently thanked their good sense for making them pick up extra gasoline.

They had passed slowly through Monticello, glancing about quickly and, upon spotting a corpse along the side of the road, they decided not to dwell. The cracks in the road and overturned houses told the tale they’d been seeing their whole journey. One particular split- that was, thankfully, not in their path- seemed to have swallowed a convenience store.

"This isn’t right," Launa said, shaking her head, taking in the damage of the quake, "I know it was way up on the Richter scale, but it should not have spread this far."

They quickly departed the city, deciding to make their destination in Chinle, Arizona, bypassing Blanding all-together. Their supplies would last them till their new destination. Aside from their brief stop in Monticello and pass through Blanding, the drive was relatively uneventful.

Although, the drive would have taken only four hours, had it not been for the splits in the highway and uneveness of it all. There had been a particularly rough patch, the road dropping them a few feet straight down, making the road bumpy and more than a little frightening, forcing them to take a long way around problem areas through the dust and extending the driving time.

Launa distracted herself from the almost-nauseating drive by watching Avi work the gear shift. Her mother had once told her about watching her father do the same, and she finally understood why it was entertaining.  _Lord, the guy has nice hands,_ she thought, fascinated by the tendons sliding under his skin.

"Do you mind if we stop for the evening?" Avi asked, startling her and yawning into his hand, "I know we’re not in Chinle, yet, but, my eyes are tired."

"You just seem tired, in general," she replied, patting his shoulder, "By all means!"

He slowed the truck to a crawl on the shoulder of the road, bending quickly to untwist the wires under the wheel, effectively killing the engine.

They hopped out of the vehicle, Avi quickly coming around to help her down. “I’m not some damsel,” she grumbled, taking his hand to be polite, “I can get down by myself.”

"You’re welcome," he ignored her protests with a smile, "Hungry?"

Launa’s stomach growled upon realizing that they hadn’t eaten since breakfast, yesterday. “I, uh. I guess so.”   
______

They ate their dinner in comfortable silence, their campfire some distance away from the vehicle for safety. Upon finishing their meal, Avi stretched out on his back with a sigh. “You know, for the apocalypse,” he cast his green eyes to her and gave her a smile, “we’re doing pretty damn well.”

Launa nodded in agreement. “Kinda makes me worry, though, not gonna lie.”

"Being a pessimist isn’t going to help," he half-scolded, turning to lay on his side with his head propped up on his arm, "Thinking like that is just going to-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," she screwed her face up at him, "I just worry that it’s going  _too_  well.”

Avi considered her words for a moment, biting his lip. “I know what you mean,” he spoke quietly, turning a rock over in his hand, “But, I’m just thankful that we’ve been so lucky.”

She remained quiet, poking a stick into the fire, playing with the cinders, barely looking over when he sat next to her. She was a little unnerved at how quickly she had grown accustomed to his company, but she was also very glad of it. Launa allowed herself a glance out of the corner of her eye at him, startled to find him already facing her, mouth open as if to speak.

They stumbled for a moment, each insisting the other go first. He was the first to give up. “I was just going to offer a penny for your thoughts.”

She shrugged. “Not a lot going on in here.”

"What are you worrying about, then?" he pressed, "you keep moving your eyes around like you’re thinking, and it’s constant. Something’s always going on in there."

Launa frowned. “Points for observation,” she sighed, turning back to focus on the fire, “I’m just worried.”

"You’re always worried, then?"

"That’s pretty accurate, yeah." She caught him smiling out of the corner of her eye. "And you’re always smiling."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Well, no. I’ve just never met anyone who smiled as much as you."  
Avi pointed at her mouth. “It’s good for being contagious, at least, if nothing else.” She was a little annoyed to find a grin on her own face.

She mimicked his earlier action and laid down in the dirt on her back, feeling sleepiness drift over her brain. “Launa?”

"Hmmm?"

"What are you going to do, once we reach L.A.?"

She lifted her head to look at him, but he was turned away and facing forward, leaving his face obscured to her. She thought for a long moment. “I’m probably going to find a way back home, from there.”

"Back to Alaska?"

"Yeah."

There was a long pause before Avi spoke again, his voice so quiet and low it vibrated the air around them. “Would it be alright if I went with you?”

Launa sat up quickly, staring at him, slightly bewildered. “Why the hell would you want to go there? You’re a California kid.”

"Yeah," he spoke slowly, still not looking at her and tugging idly on the black, thin ring in his earlobe, "but I’d like to visit. And let’s face it," he gave her a sly, joking smile, "neither of us are very good at this, alone."

She grinned, disbelieving but happy all the same. “You’d travel all that way with me?” He nodded. “Why?”

He elbowed her gently in the shoulder. “You need some company.”

She chewed her lip for a moment. “Would it be highly inappropriate to hug you?”

"After kissing my cheek, earlier?" he teased, "Not at all. C’mere."

Launa wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her face into his shoulder as he hugged her tight around her waist, he beard scraping her cheek as she leaned into him, breathing in the smell of his leather coat. He rocked her for a moment before releasing her. Silence fell once more, both of them grinning. “That kindness of yours is gonna get you in deep shit, one day,” she warned him, standing and offering her hand, “we should get some sleep.”

Avi sighed heavily, taking her outstretched hand and hauling himself to his feet, pausing to stamp out the fire. “I know,” he groaned, “it lost me a phone in a bathroom, once.”

"How the hell do you manage that?"

"Well, this guy came in while I was in there…" They piled back into the truck, he in the driver’s seat and she in the passenger’s, as he told his story, making her snicker at him as he went on. The story was fairly short, but she found herself already drifting off, feeling as though his voice was wrapping itself around her brain and flipping a switch that made her relax.

The next thing she knew, his beard was scratching her skin as he pressed a kiss to her hairline and whispered a ‘good night’. She tried to reply, but sleep’s paralysis had begun to set in, and she settled on giving him a smile.

The argumentative person in her head tried to scold her for allowing that to happen. She simply hit the mute on them and drifted off.  _Just this once,_  she promised, again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	11. Chapter 11

The next morning came too soon for Launa’s taste. The sun rudely shone into her eyes, making her pupils constrict painfully. She groaned and rolled over in the reclining seat, putting her back to the window and pulling her knees up as best as she could. Rubbing her eyes against the pain, she heard the quiet, telltale snore that told her Avi was still asleep. Sure enough, when the pain in her eyeballs dissipated, she found him dead asleep, using his elbow as a pillow, jaw slack.

 _Poke him_. Launa was taken aback by the childish urge that shot through her brain.  _What the fuck? No- why would I do that?_

 _Poke his ‘stache. Just do it_.

She wished she had been more awake to resist the peer pressure of her own mind, but, in her sleepy state-  _yeah, okay_. Scooting forward ever-so-carefully, she reached out and gently poked under his nose, once, twice, and ran her finger over the hair, there, quickly retracting her hand when Avi screwed his face up and rubbed his nose. “Esther,  _stop_.” He mumbled, groaning and rubbing a hand over his face.

Launa raised an eyebrow, feeling a ridiculous amount of annoyance ping through her as she watched him turn over onto his back, slowly waking up.  _Esther? Okay, stop, you’re being dumb._

He squinted over at her, obviously just as perturbed by the sun as she was. “Hey,” he greeted with a croak, then paused for a long while, “were you just poking me?”

"Um. No." She lied, fighting the evil grin that came to her face.

"Very rude." He said jokingly, pushing her in the shoulder before sitting up, readjusting the incline of his seat.

Launa didn’t move from her spot, chewing her lip as she debated whether or not to ask him who Esther was.  _Fuck it_. “Who’s Esther?” she asked, trying to sound nonchalant about it, but was, truthfully, intensely curious.

Avi almost jumped and frowned, confused, at her. “She’s my sister. I don’t remember saying anything about her, though. How did you know her name?”

She ignored the cool relief that settled in her stomach. ** _Stop that_**. “When I poked you, you told her to stop,” she explained, grinning wide, “Does big sis pick on you, often?”

"Ah," he laughed a little, under his breath, "yeah. She and a friend of ours have a habit of doing that. Kind of annoying, if I have to be honest."

"Sorry."

"No, you’re fine," he assured her, before bending to get to the wires, hotwiring the car, again, "shall we?"

Launa nodded and readjusted her seat into an upright position. She didn’t want to be laying down if Avi decided to tear off over the highway, again. Which is exactly what he did. Though, she was a little less averse to it than she was, the first time.  
______

After another couple of hours of driving over the rough terrain the disaster had created for them, they found themselves in a little town that they had not yet spotted on their map- Rock Point. They drove slowly down the main road- there wasn’t a lot to it, if she had to be honest. A lot of farming equipment that was, just like they had seen time and again, overturned by splits in the earth. What few buildings there were had collapsed in on themselves, and Launa shuddered. So far, it appeared as though the massive earthquake had spread across three states. _Was it just this area?_  she wondered,  _Or was it the whole country?_

 _Try the radio_. Of course, why hadn’t she thought of that, earlier? She leaned forward as Avi maneuvered the truck around debris and wreckage, fiddling with the dials on the dashboard in an attempt to get a radio signal. All she received was static.

"I tried it, earlier," he said as she flicked the dials off with a huff, "it seems like the radio towers are down, too."

She shook her head slowly, her heart sinking at the thought of not even being able to hear anything on a radio- no news of the rest of the country, if there were evacuation sites, nothing. Silence.  _We really are alone out here, aren’t we? What if we don’t find anyone? What if everyone’s dead?_  She began to panic, her heart beating faster as adrenaline was dumped into her system, her hands and feet going ice-cold.

"Hey- hey!" Avi grasped her shoulder firmly and rubbed what he could reach of her back, "It’s going to be okay. We’re going to be alright. Deep breaths- it’ll be okay."

Launa swallowed hard against the cold settling in her stomach, cradling her head in her hands, rocking gently and drew in a deep breath.  _Shut up, Launa, you’re fine. Get your shit together. You need to be alright. Neither of you can do this on your own or always supporting the other. You need to help him, too, and that starts with you **getting it under control**._  She raised her head, nodding.

"Yeah," she breathed, shaky, but once more in control, "yeah, I’m fine."

Avi furrowed his brows, concern etched into his expression, and he hesitated before withdrawing his hand. “Okay,” he paused for a long moment until they got to the edge of town, “Do you mind if we stop for a minute? I need to stretch my legs.” She couldn’t have agreed faster. The cab of the vehicle had become stifling in her panic, and she needed to flee, if only for a moment.

After killing the engine, they hopped out, Avi pacing and stretching, throwing his coat back into the driver’s seat and ruffling his hair, Launa wandering over to a wrecked building.  _It looks like everyone made it out, okay_. She breathed a sigh of relief at that and peered inside between slats of wood, something shiny catching her eye.

"Dude," she murmured to herself, "is that a stereo?"

"Is what a what?" Avi called, squinting over at her.

"I think I found a stereo," she answered, beginning to circle the outside of the building, trying to find the safest way inside, "And I want to dig it out."

He let out an exasperated sigh. “There’s no radio signals, Launa,” he said, walking over to her, “what’s the use?”

"I’m bored and I want it."

"Risking your life to get a stereo is not a good way to ease bore- Launa!" Ignoring him, she kicked a board of wood, the weakness of the structure making it snap in half fairly easily. She quickly ducked into the break in the wall, grabbed the small stereo and slipped back out, just as the building groaned and creaked in protest. "You’re going to get us killed, woman!"

"Oh, shut up!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the structure, running to escape whatever damage she’d caused. Once they were behind the relative safety of the truck, they turned and watched it fold in on itself a little more, but otherwise did nothing worth noting.  
Avi breathed a sigh of relief and pulled her tight against his side. “If you kill us, I swear to God-“

She shoved him in the stomach, laughing, but didn’t dare admit to her heart pounding in her ears from the fear of being crushed. “Oh my gosh,” she cried, squirming as he did not relent his grip, “lemme go, you ass!”

He just laughed, ruffling her hair as he let her go, earning him a deathly glare. Setting the stereo on the ground, she pulled her hair out of the braid and redo it, kneeling next to the little contraption. “Look, this has a CD drive in it, and it’s battery-powered,” Launa said, tying the end the long, red tail and letting it fall to her ribs, “which means someone was probably using it to listen to a CD.” She hit the eject button, and the flap popped up, revealing a silver disc with ‘Mixed’ scrawled across the top. “Tada.”

Avi raised an eyebrow. “Okay, and what good does this do us?”

"Entertainment, of course," she said, opening the back of the vehicle and letting the little door to the truck bed hang open, setting the stereo down on it and shutting the CD flap, "Like I said, I’m bored, and you wanted to stretch your legs, anyways."

"But-"

"You speed for fun, and I found a stereo that will probably work," she looked over her shoulder at him, "So let me have my fun, too, buddy."  
He smiled, a little bit crooked, and leaned against the truck. “Alright, what’s the plan?”

Launa grinned wide. “Plan?” she repeated, “What plan?” She hit the power button and, much to her joy, the stereo whirred to life, starting off where its owner had left it- in the middle of an upbeat, relatively current song. It wasn’t anything she recognized, but the beat was easy to pick up, and she bopped backwards away from the vehicle, trying to ignore that Avi was watching her and that she danced like a typical white person: badly.

He giggled at her, crossing his arms, appearing to be highly amused. “Think you’re a better dancer than me, white boy?”

"Not at all," he laughed, "I just wasn’t expecting this."

"Come on," she beckoned him over with a crook of her finger, frowning when he shook his head, "Come on, dude- we don’t know how long the battery will last! You don’t want to waste good music, do you?"

He look conflicted for a moment, biting his lip as she danced over to him, tugging on the hem of his shirt. “Yeah, alright,” he finally agreed, holding up a finger, “But just this once.”

"Absolutely."

Wow, she hadn’t realize how much she had missed music until then. She tried not to think about how ridiculous they probably looked, all flailing limbs and stupid smiles. He twirled her around after a moment, kicking up dust, she almost smacked him in the nose with her long braid, and he pulled her back flush against his chest, swaying their hips together and thinking nothing of it. It was nice to let go, like this, and Launa nearly forgot about the ruins around them- there was just music and dancing with Avi.

The song ended, and they were left giggling like schoolchildren as the second one started, a much slower one, and he pulled her close, again.

"Battery’s still going," he said, "still want to dance?"

She smirked at him. “Of course,” she replied, letting him wrap her up in his arms and tuck her head under his chin. She couldn’t help but drape an arm around his waist, resting her free hand high up on his chest, a little surprised when his own hand came up to cover hers.

They remained through the duration of the song, swaying in place, and Launa’s heart suddenly jumped into her throat.  _When did we become so comfortable?_  She thought, almost panicking, but felt absolutely no need to separate from him.  _Oh no_. She almost groaned aloud, picking up the sound of his heartbeat as she rested her forehead against his collarbone.  _No no no, what are you **doing**?!_  She willed her body to move, arguing with herself.

_No, this is not something that should be happening. You two are only doing this because you’ve been exposed to each other for so long and have been thrust into a stressful situation- he wouldn’t be doing this, otherwise._

_…So, why should we complain? It’s been a long time- too long- since any guy’s paid us any attention. Just shut up and enjoy it._

Launa flipped the mute switch on her brain.  _Everyone shut up_. She relaxed fully into his grip, and he held her just a little tighter.

_I can let this happen. Just this once._

_You keep using that phrase, Launa,_  her brain argued,  _I don’t think it means what you think it means._

Avi’s hand brushed against her lower back, drawing her out of her head, a smile stretching across her face.

_…Just this once._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	12. Chapter 12

Their dance had continued on, alternating between fast and slow songs, and the stereo finally died in the middle of a poppy song, warping the tune into something creepy as its battery gave out. The whole thing left them breathless and giggling, leaning into each other for balance. Avi let out a slightly shaky sigh, “Oh, that was fun,” he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead before smiling down at her. “Thanks for making me dance.”

 _Thanks for making me feel like an actual girl_. Launa shushed the thought. “Thanks for letting me.”

Reluctantly, they set the stereo back by its original home, almost as if to thank it, too, and piled back into the truck, settling back on their destination of Chinle. The atmosphere in the cab of the vehicle was odd, shifting somewhere between giddy, awkward, and all-too-comfortable. She watched him tie the tail back into his hair to keep it out of his eyes as he drove, not daring to turn her head, and not admitting that she was staring.

 _No_ , she told herself firmly, _This needs to stop. You’re in a life or death situation, and getting sentimental and gooey toward your travel partner is likely to get you killed. She sighed inaudibly. Maybe if we’d just bumped into each other. Maybe if our first meeeting wasn’t because and earthquake separated us from the rest of society. Maybe-_  She pulled the emergency brake on her thoughts.  ** _Stop._**

”- right, Launa?” his voice suddenly came into focus, “Launa?”

She snapped her focus to reality. “Yeah, totally.”

Avi gave a strange, worried look, but stayed quiet, bending to start the engine up and peeling off from the tiny town. Launa hunkered down in her seat, the rumbling of the engine coupled with Avi humming a slow song they had danced to lulling her into a doze.  
______

The sound of engine dying and Avi swearing was what woke her from her nap. “No,  _no_ ,” he muttered, pressing harder on the gas pedal and slamming his hands into the steering wheel when the truck continued to slow,  _"Dammit_!”

Launa straightened in her seat quickly, both worried about the state of the truck and Avi’s sudden anger. “I take it that we ran out of gas?”

"No," he snapped, pulling the hood latch and flinging the door open, "we have plenty of gas. The damn thing just decided to quit." He dropped out of the truck and propped the hood open, peering inside. Launa heard him swear again, this time in a language she didn’t recognize, and he slammed the front of the vehicle shut, looking positively furious. _That shouldn’t be attractive._

He heaved himself back into the driver’s seat, fists clenched.

She waited a few moments, listening for his breathing to slow before she spoke. “So, we’re back to walking, are we?”  
______

They hadn’t consumed even half of the water that they had swiped in Moab, but they had, thankfully, had the foresight to pick up another two travel bags- making it a grand total of two bags and a pad of thin camp bedding for each of them. They still couldn’t carry everything they’d taken with them, and the packs were heavy, but it was still better than going without it.

"How much further to Chinle?" she asked as he studied the map, "It can’t be far, now." She peered around his shoulder, standing on her toes to try to see. He wasn’t very tall, but neither was she. "Quit hogging the map, buttmunch."

"Buttmunch?" he grumbled at her, still a little cranky from the frustration of the vehicle breaking down. He obliged and gave her one side of the map to hold while he held the other, plotting their path.

Launa wrinkled her nose. “Ew,” she groaned, tracing the road with her finger, “It’s a lot further than I thought.”

He bumped his elbow into her gently, in an almost reassuring manner. “We can make it,” he said, then added with a grin, ” ‘We’re sturdy bitches’.”

She punched him lightly in the shoulder, but was unable to keep from smiling.

They left the truck in the middle of the highway, bidding their temporary friend a farewell. Hauling the bags up onto their backs, and overbalancing once or twice, they set off, setting their sights on the next town, Many Farms.  
______

Nightfall came quickly. Their dawdling in Rock Point had taken up more of the day than they thought, and the sun set below the horizon before they had walked more than five miles. Setting their stuff down with a groan, they quickly went to work on getting a campfire set up.

"I miss the truck," Avi grumbled, sitting to start the fire, "I miss not having a mass of pain for legs."

"Word," she agreed, cringing at the can she pulled out, "why the hell did I grab pea soup?"

Her partner almost physically withdrew, scowling at her. “Burn it.”

Launa gave him an exasperated look. “Dude, I know it’s gross, but it’s food!”

"It’s  _vegetables_.”

"Yeah?"

"I hate vegetables."

She rolled her eyes, but stuffed the can back into her pack. They couldn’t afford to be picky about or waste food, and, just like in every video game she played, she would regret throwing the item away further down the road, when she needed it. She pulled out another, feeling like she was playing Russian Roulette with her stomach. “Ooh,” this one actually looked really good, “Potatoes and cheddar with bacon?”

Avi whipped his head around, smirking. “That’s much better.”

They heated up the soup as quick as the fire would allow them and ate in silence. He finished first and leaned on her, resting his head against hers. She froze. “..Hi?” she greeted around a mouthful of soup. He apologized and removed himself from her, flustered. “No, you’re okay, I just,” she couldn’t decide whether to be bothered or flattered that he felt so comfortable with her, “That wasn’t a thing that I was expecting.” After a moment’s consideration, she added, “Go for it. I don’t mind.”

Avi nodded, giving her a grateful smile. “Thanks.” He leaned over, putting himself back where he had been and waited for her to finish her meal. “So, you’re okay with me laying on you,” he started, sounding slightly confused, “but, not the opposite?”

Launa shrugged. “I don’t like being a burden on people.”

"You’re not."

"I’ve been nothing but a burden on you," she insisted, pulling her knees up, "I’m sorry."

He biffed her lightly on the back. “Stop apologizing. You haven’t been a burden, I promise.” He draped his arm over her shoulders. “Look, this is a damn stressful thing we’ve been stuck in, you and I. You’re not going to always be able to hold it together, and neither will I. But I trust you to get me back up on my feet when I need you to. I hope you trust me to do the same.”

Launa sucked in a long, deep breath. “Co-dependency.”

"Well, if you want to make it sound unhealthy, sure," he joked, "but really, look around: this isn’t exactly healthy."

She laughed, then nodded, turning to smile at him and he removed his head from hers. “Yeah, okay. I trust you.”  _That’s a stupid thing to say. Don’t trust him. Don’t trust anyone_. She shushed her brain.

Avi smiled wide and gave her a half-hug. “Good. Thank you.”

She allowed herself to quickly glance over his face, a little nervous at their proximity. She gave a quiet chuckle. “You’re starting to look like a bear.” She flicked her eyes down at his chin for a second, then poked him in the cheek.

"Sorry," he said with a little laugh, rubbing over his jaw with his free hand, "not keeping tabs on that will do that."

"It happens." She agreed, letting herself lean a little into his arm. He glanced her over, his green eyes practically burning holes in her skin, before leaning forward and kissing her forehead. She smiled wide as he did so. "You seem to really like doing that," she teased him.

Avi’s smirk teased her right back. “You aren’t protesting,” he reached up and ran her braid through his hand and got up, “I’ll be back.” He walked away toward the nearby river.

Launa frowned, and dug the map out Avi’s coat that he had left behind. There’s no river here. She searched the area around the tiny ‘x’ that he had used to mark approximately where they were. Not a river to be seen, not until they crossed a bridge further on down the highway. She stood and followed him, finding him at the water’s edge with his knife.

"Hey," he said, "not a lot to see, here, trust me." She allowed herself a small smile at the lopsided look his half-shaven face had.

"Nah, I’m not here for you," she replied, focusing on her suspicion, "I’m here for the river."

He hummed at her, confused, but still continued to scrape at his jaw. She looked it over, taking note of the jagged edges to it. “It’s new, isn’t it?” Avi said, “I kind of figured it was, considering the amount of splits we’ve seen.”

She nodded. “That’s what I was afraid of.”

"What, that it spread way out here?"

"Yeah," Launa bit her lip, "It’s just not normal for an earthquake’s damage to spread this far, especially in a low-frequencey area." She pulled at the outer seam of her jeans, fidgeting as she thought. "Um, I’m gonna head back. Sorry to bother you."

"No worries," was his answer, called over his shoulder as she walked away.

Launa got her bedding out, thankful to not have to sleep directly on the ground, anymore, and laid down on her side, folding up the map and leaning to tuck back into the coat’s pocket. The sound of his heavy boots alerted her to his return. “Better?” he asked her, and she turned over, instantly grinning.

"Yeah, I can actually see your face," she joked, turning away from him again.

"You stop," he shot back, unrolling his own bedding next to hers and laying down, pausing for a long moment before pulling the coat over the top of them and scooting backwards, pressing his back against hers, "See you in the morning, Launa."

Against her better judgment, she reached back and found his forearm, squeezing gently until his hand took hers and returned the treatment before releasing it. “Good night, Avriel.”

She felt him laugh a little at the use of his whole first name, but he was otherwise silent, both of them quickly slipping into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	13. Chapter 13

Screams of terror tore Launa from her slumber. Her hand flew back to find Avi, but found nothing but empty air. “Avi?!” she called, turning over to find her partner, and nearly rolled into a gaping pit. She gasped, catching herself just as she was about to roll over the edge. “Avi!” She shrieked into the dark abyss, trying to find her balance against the rocking of the earth.

"Help me!" came his answer. Launa leaned over the edge, finding him dangling precariously from an outstretched rock embedded in the side of the split, eyes wide with fear. She stood quickly, kicking the stuff away from the edge, glancing around to find something to help her.

_Nothing nothing there’s nothing._

"Launa!!"

_Can I reach him?_

She judged the distance in a millisecond.

"Launa, please!"

_I can reach him._

She laid down on her stomach, stretching her arm down and holding her hand out to him. “Grab on!” Avi reached up, stretching as best as he could to reach her, brushing his fingers against hers. “Come on, Avi!”

The earth gave a particular violent heave, and he nearly lost his grip, grappling hard on the stone and pulled himself up, wrapping his hand tight around her wrist. Launa brought her other hand down to grasp his wrist and pulled her knees up to plant her feet, grunting with the effort and pulling as hard as she could, his boots scrabbling against the wall.

Avi came up over the edge, the momentum of Launa’s heave sending him falling forward, half on her. “Sorry-“

"Save it!" She scrambled backwards, pulling him with her, putting as much distance between them and the crack in the earth’s surface as possible. The motion of the earthquake had them wobbling and dizzy, trying to pick up the bags smoothly as they passed, and running for the other side of the highway.

Launa’s boot caught on the edge of the asphalt and she stumbled, catching herself on his arm. “Come on!” He helped her right herself and, with one last rumble from the ground beneath them, they were propelled forward onto the highway.

The earth stilled, but they didn’t dare move, holding their breath as the aftershocks started, hearing more cracks spreading in the distance. She gave a yelp of terror as another started just to the side of the road, just a few feet from their boots. Then, just as quickly as the aftershock had started, it stopped, and a deafening boom sounded from where their campsite had been. Avi craned his neck to see what had happened, and let out a shuddering breath. “Oh my god,” he whispered, “Launa.” He pointed in that direction, and she followed his gesture with her eyes.

The crack he had been dangling in had snapped shut.

She got up on her knees, moving her wide-eyed stare from the uneven edges of the pit back to him. Dirt was smeared over his cheek, and his eyes were wide with terror. She flung her arms around his neck, her fingers digging into his shoulders, he immediately returning the embrace. “I almost died,” he murmured into her neck, circling his arms tighter around her and shivering hard, “I almost died.”

Launa held him close, moving a hand to stroke his hair. “It’s okay,” she whispered, “you’re alright, you’re here.”  _Gods, he’s shaking_. “You’re damned lucky I was built sturdy, you heavy son of a bitch.”

Avi coughed out a laugh, but didn’t remove himself from her, his hands shaking on her back. She rocked him gently, feeling the adrenaline slowly drain from her system and waiting for it to do the same for him. She waited patiently- life-threatening situations usually took awhile to recover from. “It’s okay,” she repeated as he sunk down to relax a little, still trembling, “It’s okay.”

They sat there, in the middle of the highway, drenched in fear of the very planet.

 _What the hell is happening?_  
______

They tried to sleep, again, but had very little luck. The best either of them could do was doze. Avi drifted into a deeper sleep at one point, but awoke gasping and reaching out for her. He dozed off, a half-hour later, curled against her with his head on her chest. Launa wasn’t able to sleep more than ten minutes at a time, constantly flicking her eyes open, thinking she heard distant rumbling, or checking on the man beside her.

 _This probably triggered a phobia in him_ , she worried, chewing her lip, giving a start when she found her hand idly twisting in his curls,  _That’s just gonna make this so much more stressful, the closer we get to California, ‘cause **that**  is on a fault line_. She sighed heavily, but remained silent, trying her best to not disturb him.  _Gods, I hope this doesn’t become a lifelong fear of his._

She glanced down at him, resting her hand on his shoulder, his breath warming her shirt where it hit. _You’re really worried about him, aren’t you?_  Launa nodded to answer the question in her own head.

_Of course I am. My friend just had a near-death experience._

As if on cue, Avi groaned in his sleep and woke suddenly, breathing a sigh of relief and sliding his arm across her waist. “Hey,” she breathed, trying not to startle him.

He cast his eyes up at her. “Hey,” he answered, then began to move away from her, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to crush you.”

"You can stay if you like," she said, her concern written all over her face, "I don’t mind, really. If it helps-"

Avi paused, and bit his lip. “You really don’t mind?” She shook her head with a small smile. “Thank you.” He lowered his head back down against her collarbone, and she found herself kissing his forehead.

"Try to get some more sleep. I’ve got you."

He drifted off within seconds.  
______

Launa didn’t dare move until he woke, again. He’d finally fallen deep asleep, only making distressed sounds once or twice, and she didn’t want to interrupt his sleep. She, on the other hand, couldn’t find sleep again, even if her life depended on it.  _Sandman, I really hate you, sometimes._

He woke with a quiet groan, stretching and pulling her tight against him. “Oh, shit,” he breathed, releasing her upon hearing her croak of strangulation, “sorry.” He lifted himself away from her and ground, sitting back on his heels, a look of embarrassment on his face.

She yawned and rubbed her face. “It’s all good, dude,” she ran a hand through her unruly hair, deciding to take it out of its braid and redo it, “How’re you doing?”

Avi stretched his arms up over his head. “Uh,” he started, letting out a monstrous yawn, “Still shaken, but better. Thank you.”

They remained quiet for a long time, gathering themselves enough to eat breakfast cold- and making sure that it was safe to do so- not daring to take the time to make a fire. They got their bags set, realized that the earth had claimed Avi’s bedding, and set off for Many Farms.  
______

 _Yet another teeny tiny town_ , Launa thought with a grumble,  _You’d think that, with all of this space, there would be more cities in this area. Maybe not a lot of people like the area?_  She fanned herself. _Maybe it’s the heat._

She couldn’t lie, though. The journey to Many Farms had taken about a week, given the horrible terrain and state of the road, it was nearing the end of October, and the temperature was rapidly dropping. She still considered it comfortable, but Avi appeared to be pulling further in on himself anytime a wind blew by. He crossed his arms, mumbling about it getting cold. “It can’t be any colder than 65 degrees,” she said, “you wimpy Cali boy.” She laughed at the scowl she got in response. “How would you ever survive going North with me?”

"With a heavier coat, gloves, a scarf, a hat-" he started listing things off on his fingers.

They bantered back and forth as they made their way up to Many Farms, and found it completely deserted. “Does this one seem even smaller, to you?” he asked, trying the handle on a car, grumbling when it held tight, “This one feels smaller.”

"Too small," she agreed, scanning the area, "At least our chances of finding corpses are low." Avi made a gagging noise, but otherwise said nothing.

The late hour at which they had set off coupled with the decreasing amount of daylight as they approached winter had the sun low in the sky not long before they had entered the town.

"There’s a motel over there," Avi observed, "want to stop in for the night?"

"I don’t know," she joked, "think we have enough money to pay for it?" He just gave her a slightly annoyed smile and pushed her in the shoulder, heading toward the little building.

They easily broke open the door to one of the rooms closer to the lobby- the one with the most structural stability- and stepped inside only after confirming that the roof would not suddenly drop on their heads.

Just like the rest of the town, the room was tiny, but big enough to allow the two of them to move relatively easily. A small bathroom was on the opposite side of the room from the entrance, and Launa couldn’t resist giving the taps a shot. Nope. Still no running water. She let out a cry of frustration. She wanted a shower, goddammit. She settled on rinsing her mouth out with mouthwash and briefly brushing her teeth. She hated having dragon breath.

"There might be well water, close by," Avi suggested, leaning in the door way of the bathroom as wiped a damp washcloth over her face, "I know, it’s driving me crazy, too." She caught him looking over her head into the mirror and cringing, then finally looked herself in the eye.

 _Oh my god_.

Her face had grown rather thin. Not scarily thin, and still relatively healthy, and was spattered with dirt. She scrubbed her face with the cloth, wiping away the smudges. She hadn’t realized what the travel had done to her.  _Oh look, I have actual cheekbones._

She exited the bathroom to find Avi sprawled across the bed. She placed her hands on her hips, jokingly scolding him, “Young man, what did I tell you about hogging the bed?”

He just gave her a grin. “Oh, well,” he teased, “I guess you’re just going to have to lay on me.”

"I will sit on you, child- don’t test me."

"I don’t know," he quirked an eyebrow at her, "that might not be so bad."

Launa’s jaw dropped and her stomach twisted. “ _Very_  inappropriate, Avriel,” she scolded, sitting on the edge of the bed, ignoring the way it had affected her, “You know, you’re getting dirtier every day.”

He ran his hands over his face and gave a long groan. “I know,” he sighed, “I’m sorry. I’m just going a little insane.” She moved to pat his leg, as it was the closest thing she could reach. “Do _not_  touch me. Please.”

She raised and eyebrow, eyes wide. “Are you alright?”

"Yes, I’m just," he made a frustrated noise and pulled on his hair, "going crazy."

"I don’t think you’re crazy," she reconsidered that, "well, not any crazier than I am." Avi just closed his eyes and shook his head, and, for whatever reason, it suddenly hit her, and she understood his frustration. "Ah. Been awhile, has it?"

He simply groaned in response and turned over on his side, facing away from her, and curled in on himself. Something told her that this was going to be a rather uncomfortable night for the both of them.

An awkward silence settled between the two, and, to relieve it, Launa leaned across the space he left on the bed, and shoved him over the edge, sending him flailing and swearing to the floor. She sincerely hoped the laughter that it caused would win out over the awkward, that evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	14. Chapter 14

Avi gasped and awoke, eyes wide with fear and heart racing as his body jerked to catch himself from falling. He swore under his breath and tried to drive away the images of the split in the skin of the earth swallowing him up. He rubbed his eyes and sighed in annoyance. He was sick of being woken up like this.

A truly ugly sound met his ears. Listening carefully, he tried to locate and recognize the noise. Someone was vomiting. He swallowed hard and glanced to the empty side of the bed. He quickly hauled himself out of the bed, going in search of his travelling companion. “Launa?” he called, finding her outside the motel room, leaning over the railing of the porch that led to all of the motel rooms. He jogged over to her and, not knowing what else to do, rubbed her back, trying desperately to ignore the sound and smell. Man, he so did not handle people being sick well.

"It’s okay," he murmured, "I’m so sorry." She was shivering and gasping when the wave of nausea finally stopped.

"I’m sorry," she choked out, "I didn’t mean to wake you." She spat at the ground, groaning and clutching the railing.

He slid an arm around her shoulders, being very careful not to jostle her. “You didn’t,” he said, trying to be as comforting as possible, “Do you think you’re done?”

Launa shook her head. “I don’t know,” she breathed shakily, leaning into him, “I don’t know. I’m- I’m cold and-” her knees gave away, and she collapsed, falling unconscious. Avi swore, catching her.

"This is not good," he whispered, readjusting her so he could cradle her body in his arms, and felt her burning forehead, "Shit."

He quickly realized that the only option was to take her back into the room and tuck her into bed, find some medicine to take down the fever and maybe even the nausea, and wait. Setting her down on the bed, he brushed the hair away from her face and made sure she laid on her side. He grabbed the chair from the other side of the room and stood it next to her side of the bed, plopping down on it.

Avi ran his hands through his hair. God, he felt inadequate. Being the youngest in his family, he’d always been the one who got watched over when he was sick, but he’d never really had to do the same for anyone else. He rubbed his face hard. “We’re in trouble, Launa,” he said aloud, his words hanging dully in the silent room, “I don’t know what I’m doing. I hope you know that I might actually kill you.”

He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. “And you better not get me sick, too.” He laughed to himself, the sound feeling empty. He couldn’t even fool himself into thinking he wasn’t worried sick.

His eyes traced her sleeping form, uncrossing his arms and wringing his hands. “Please get better, soon.”  
______

Launa felt nothing but dizziness and nausea, hot and cold. Her vision swam and the room around her spun. She was a mass of discomfort and fever, and she couldn’t even stay awake long enough to take anything for it. She thought she heard Avi’s voice once or twice, and she smiled, delirious from the fever.

She remembered saying his name and holding his hand at some point, and she remembered him singing to her, some sort of carol, she was sure of it. It wasn’t one she was familiar with, but she thought his voice looked like molten gold, and she reached out to touch it, frustrated when she couldn’t grasp it.

She remembered saying she wanted her Mother, wanted to be back home, wanted to take him to meet her Mom, “You’d like her, Avi, she likes music, too, and she’s short. Grandma’s short too, but you wouldn’t like her she’s a stubborn old bat.” She vaguely remembered telling him about her Grandmother and just how fucking stubborn the woman was, and how one time, on vacation, she didn’t believe that her daughter was sick until the doctor on their cruise ship got angry with her.

Launa drifted in and out of consciousness, waking up retching every now and again. She recalled apologizing for being so gross, and she remembered him smiling and stroking her hair, telling her it would be okay.

She grasped at the whisps of a memory of taking medicine, “to take down the fever”, he said.

"Okay, Avi," she agreed. She trusted him. He knew what to do. He’d make her better.

She trusted him.

_She trusted him._

Why did she trust him?

Why?

Well, he saved her life, of course, and he’d put up with her bullshit for a month and he had been flirting with her and cracking dirty jokes and smiling and  _oh god_  he was beautiful. She loved his eyes and his hair and his voice and his laugh his smile and she was falling so hard for him and she wouldn’t  _let herself_  and goddamn was that frustrating or what?

Her memories blurred together and she wasn’t sure, anymore, what she’d said aloud or thought or upchucked.

 _Gods_ , she just wanted it to be over.

"Just keep talking, Avi," she breathed, "keep talking, I like your voice."

Blackness swallowed her whole.  
______

Avi chewed his lip, crossing his arms over his chest as she rambled about her Grandmother and something about her Mother having been sick on a cruise. To be honest, she wasn’t making a lot of sense, though he supposed that was normal with a fever so bad. She seemed to be stay awake, and he had carefully counted the time, counting down when he could have her take more medicine to take down her temperature. Whatever had gotten into her system was  _bad._

Two days into it, though, and he seemed to be getting the hang of it.

Launa took her medicine with little help from him- she had needed it, the first several times, as she had not been able to sit up on her own. She laid back down heavily, head flopping onto the pillow. He gently pet her hair away from her forehead, his eyebrows drawn together in a deep frown as she continued to ramble deliriously. “You have pretty hair,” she slurred, “I like your hair.”

Hey, she was focusing on something, and that’s all that mattered, right now. Although, he would’ve liked it better if she would sleep. She moaned and slurred her words together, not making any sense. He shushed her, pulling her thick braid away from her neck, “Try to sleep, Launa,” he murmured, “Just try to sleep.”

"Okay, Avi," she mumbled, "you have a nice voice, I like it. Just keep talking, keep talking."

He obliged as best as he could, talking softly about everything and nothing in particular, about his family, his earliest memory, going into high school and having his voice drop, about how much fun he’d had dancing with her, knowing she wouldn’t remember hardly anything when she was finally better. He paused for a minute and Launa gave him a whine, “No,” she groaned, “nice voice, very good.”

Avi cleared his throat and, remembering how quickly she’d passed out in the truck when he’d hummed, began singing quietly. He watched her whole body relax and, at some point, she reached up, grabbing at thin air, muttering something about gold.

She finally succumbed to sleep, and Avi breathed a sigh of relief. Petting her deep red hair once more, he sat back in his chair and let himself doze off.   
______

Launa woke to flames licking her skin. She shrieked, and patted hard at her limbs, trying to put the fire out. Avi appeared in her line of vision, but he wasn’t helping her put out the fire. “Help me put this out!” she pleaded, trying desperately to ward them off. He put his hand on her forehead, and nothing burned quite like his skin on hers. She tried to squirm away, shouting at him that it was too hot too hot she needed a shower or snow or ice, something cold, please, just to put out the flames.

She was suspended in the air, her body engulfed in the burning heat he seemed to be made of, and she was brought outside and was sat down on the porch of the motel.

The flames dissipated, and she gulped in a breath of cold, cold air as it hit her skin.

She held her arms outstretched. The air almost felt like the cold, wet air of winter back home, and it felt so good. She giggled to herself, Snow’s great, sometimes,” she said, singing a Disney tune she’d heard once or twice, “the cold never bothered me, anyway,” she mumbled, laying back against the cold wood.

If she was ice, Launa wondered, and he was fire, how had they not killed each other yet? How had he not melted her? Those two things certainly didn’t work together, yet here they were.

Her mind began to snap back to its normal behavior, little bits at a time, at first, and then all at once. Her vision focused, and things started to make sense.

She groaned and rubbed her hands over her face. “Oh, ew,” she grumbled, wiping the sweat from her brow, “I need a shower.”

Avi breathed a sigh of relief as he sat next to her. “Your fever broke,” he explained, then added, “Finally.”

"I’m so sorry, Avi," she said, sitting up and wobbling at the dizziness of the sudden movement, "I don’t know why I got so sick, I ju-"

He shushed her with a finger held to his lips. “What matters most is that you’re okay, now.” He ran his fingers through her long hair, and she found herself leaning into it. Okay, so maybe her brain was a little more boiled from the fever than she thought.

"I’m tired," she breathed, allowing herself to lean on him.

He helped her up onto unsteady legs and guided her back into the room. “Okay,” he said, sitting her down on the bed, “Just get some more sleep.” Launa nodded. Sleep sounded marvelous.

"Hey," she grabbed his hand as he was about to walk away, "Thank you."

Avi just smiled at her and bent to kiss her forehead. “No worries.”

Launa smiled dopily, flopping backwards onto the bed and falling asleep instantly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	15. Chapter 15

Launa didn’t remember waking up- she just suddenly was. She blinked slowly, her eyelids moving at a sluggish pace, and whimpered quietly. Her whole body ached, and her joints seemed convinced that she was 80 years old with arthritis. She moved carefully, turning over onto her side, finding Avi sitting sprawled in a chair beside the bed, his head drooped with his chin resting on his chest, arms loosely crossed.

She sat up, wincing at the dull pain that embraced her. She couldn’t tell if he was asleep or not, at first, but his whole body jerked in what she could only figure was a falling dream. She hoped he wasn’t still having nightmares about the last quake. He rubbed his eyes hard before looking up at her, giving her a tired smile. “Hey, there,” he croaked and cleared his throat, “How are you feeling?”

"Like death," Launa replied, running her hands over her arms, "but I’m not hallucinating, anymore, so, let’s call it a plus."

Avi frowned, but attempted to continue to smile, leaning forward and pressing the backs of his fingers to her forehead. “You’re still pretty warm, but it’s way better than before.”

She found herself leaning into his hand, the slight pressure feeling ridiculously good on her over-sensitive skin. She hummed in response and closed her eyes, nearly groaning when he withdrew his hand. “How long have I been sick?”

"Uh," he coughed lightly into his hand, considering the question, "Five days, I think."

Launa’s eyes widened in shock. “Five days?” she repeated, covering her face in her hands, “Oh, god, I’m so sorry.”

He frowned once more. “Don’t apologize,” he insisted, sitting up further in his seat, “you can’t help being sick.”

"I held us back, though!"

"And?!"

Launa recoiled at his raised voice, furious at the familiar fear that struck her heart. “Don’t yell at me like that.” Her voice was firm despite her fear.

Avi’s eyes flickered over her face before dropping his own into his hands, his elbows resting on his knees. “God, I’m so sorry,” he looked back up at her, pleading, “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to shout. I’m sorry. Please forgive me- I’m sorry-“

She reached over to grasp his hand, squeezing it gently, her own shaking with the effort. She took a moment to really look at him. _He looks so tired._  Dark circles settled under his usually bright green eyes, the overgrowth of his beard was starting to appear, again, and his mouth was set in a grim line. “How much sleep have you gotten?” Avi paused for a half a second, then opened his mouth to speak. She looked him directly in the eye. “Truth, Avriel.”

He held her gaze for a moment before letting his eyelids slide shut, giving in to her question. “Not much,” he said, holding her hand with both of his, “I’ve been trying to keep an eye on you. Can’t exactly do that when I’m snoozing.”

The two remained motionless for a long moment. Launa suddenly got up, doing her best to ignore the protests of her aching limbs, and squeezed his hand. “Stay right there,” she told him, “don’t move.” She bent to dig through her bag, looking for the clean change of clothes she’d been holding onto. She shed her t-shirt, and was starting to peel off her sleeveless undershirt when she stopped short. “And don’t turn around.”

"Aye, captain."

She changed as fast as she could and came back over to him, sitting heavily on the bed. “Look,” she said, “I know I still smell like a corpse, I’m sure, but this helps a little, and I’m not quite as sweaty-“

Avi gave her an exasperated look. “Is there a point to this?”

Launa gestured for him to come closer. “Come lay down,” she demanded, patting the space next to her, “Get some sleep. I’m fine, now.”

He looked at her dubiously, unsure of what to do. “But I-“

"If you don’t want to, I understand," she said, "But really, dude. You should get some sleep, or you’ll get sick, too."

That seemed to convince him and, with a sigh, he heaved himself up from the chair and kicked off his boots, easing himself into the bed beside her, burying his face in the pillow. The tension in his entire frame relaxed almost instantly. Launa laid down, not bothering to turn around- she knew he’d be asleep in less than a minute.

She tensed in surprise when his mass of heat met her back, his arm draped over hers and his nose brushing against the back of her neck. ”Ew, Avi,” she whined, “I smell!”

He only seemed to lay a little heavier against her. “I don’t care,” he sighed over her shoulder, “I stink, too.”

"So, we cancel each other out, is that what you’re trying to say?"

Avi smiled and pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “Totally.”  
______

They decided to stay another day, especially since they slept so late. Both had been completely exhausted, and Launa woke up to Avi curled around her and snoring into her ribs. How he’d managed to wiggle his way that far down was beyond her, but she was still so sore and the pressure on her still-too-sensitive skin was so nice, she couldn’t bring herself to care.

Later, after wandering around outside and allowing her to eat her breakfast in peace, Avi came back in, excitedly announcing that he’d found a well with pretty clean water in it.

"Okay?" Launa asked, setting her bowl aside, "we have heaps and heaps of water bottles, already."

"Yeah, and that’s for drinking," he answered, moving further into the room and gesturing toward her bag, "we can wash our clothes, and- oh god." She snorted as he caught his reflection in the bathroom mirror. "And wash my  _damn hair_. Holy shit- when did that happen?” He pulled on his cheeks, or what was left of them. She remembered him having something in the way of squishy cheeks, which had hollowed out somewhat with the journey and decrease of food intake.

_His cheeks were cute, though._

**_Stop it._ **

Avi grumbled and wiped at the dirt on his face for another moment before giving up and grumbled about going to wash his hair.

She waited for a moment, then, after sense kicked in, she realized that she should probably find out where exactly it was located. She followed his path out of the door and down the road, around the corner of a house and-  _WHOA THERE, NELLY_. Launa’s jaw dropped open, shocked into paralysis upon finding him facing away from her and peeling his shirt off.

_Don’t look at him, don’t do it don’t do it don’t do it dear **god**_

Her stomach twisted hard as his back was exposed and, before she knew what she was doing, she fled as quickly as possible, trying to drive out the image of the way his shoulder blades slid under his skin. She plopped down in the middle of the motel room, feeling a little dizzy after sprinting back, took his knife from the nearby bag and stabbed the carpet hard in an attempt to relieve her frustration.

_**Nope nope nope**  I can’t think about that I can’t I can’t_

Launa’s thoughts were erratic, snapping back to the image of him stripping, and she snarled at herself for feeling like a teenager, again, driving the blade deep into the wood beneath the carpet and pulling it- “Oh, fuck.” She yanked hard on the handle, swearing profusely as it held tight to its new home in the floorboards. “Oh, come on! I can’t have stabbed you that hard!!”

_Add that to my list of things I never thought I’d say._

_Ugh, this is all his fault._

_No, if you weren’t such a freak and decided to follow him instead of simply asking for directions when he came back, this wouldn’t have happened. Yet, here you are, frustrated as hell and stabbing the floor when **really**  you’d love to just climb him like a-_

"Stop it!" she shouted aloud, bracing her whole weight into the floor and pulling on the knife, gasping as she lost her balance and fell backwards as it popped out. She kept a hard grip on it as she fell flat onto her back, the wind whooshing from her lungs.

"Um." She looked toward the door, her view upside down, to see Avi, hair dripping, his shirt, thankfully, on, and his eyebrows raised, "Everything okay?"

Launa groaned and tossed the knife away from her. “I just want you to know that I despise you.”

"Whoa, harsh," he laughed, leaning against the door frame, "and how does this current situation," he gestured to her position on the floor and the blade sitting on the other side of the room, "have anything at all to do with you despising me?"

"Never mind," she grumbled, burying her face in her hands and remained on the floor, "Just roll with it."

Avi crouched to pat her shoulder. “Yeah, alright, whatever you say.” She swatted at him, missing as he moved away. “Hey, I should probably show you where the well is.”

Launa had to bite her tongue to keep from screaming in frustration.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	16. Chapter 16

They were able to continue their travels the following day, and Launa couldn’t have been happier. She still smelled, though not as bad, but her scalp felt so much better after running clean, albeit  _cold as balls_  water through her hair and over her face, and after washing her change of clothes. She felt like she could take on the world.

Until she looked at the map.

"Okay," Avi said, as she laid on her stomach beside him on the bed, studying the map in his hands, "so, it’s still a bit of a walk, but it’s nothing we can’t conquer in a day. Right?" Launa faceplanted into the sheets. He snorted and shook her shoulder. "Come on, munchkin. Up, up." He removed himself from the bed, but didn’t escape the light smack on his leg.

"Munchkin?" Launa cried, reaching out to swat at him, again, "You’re short, too!"

"I’m not that damn short!"

"Yes, you are!"

She sat up on the bed, wobbling on the springs as he backed away from it, scowling, but laughing. “I’m average height,” He stated firmly, picking up one of his bags and draping his coat over it.

She grumbled a ‘yeah, whatever’ and slid off the edge of the bed, bending to grab her own stuff and slinging it over her shoulders. “Ready when you are, ‘average height’.” He just pushed her lightly in the shoulder with a chuckle, and headed for the door.

"Ladies, first," he insisted, gesturing at the broken door. Launa sighed and gave him a light swat to the hip before crossing the doorway. "Did you just smack my ass?" He laughed as he followed her.

"No, it was your hip."

"It felt like my ass."

"No," she repeated, grinning, "it was your hip." Avi fell into step beside her, smirking, and mimicked her action, though his aim was off. She gaped at him. "Now,  _that_ ,” she shouted, “was my ass!”

He turned to walk backwards, smiling wide at her. “No,” he said, fluttering his eyelashes at her, “it was your hip.”

"You’re a a shithead!" she cried, chasing him out of town, the two of them pushing and shoving and giggling like children.  
______

The light-hearted attitude lasted them through the day and onto the next morning, even though the road was torn up and craggy, forcing them to become rock-climbers to avoid falling to their deaths.

In the continuing conversation as they hiked across the treacherous highway, Launa asked what the day was. “November 4th, I think.” Avi answered, helping her across a gap.

"Aww," she sighed, "I missed my birthday."

He whirled to face her, looking horrified. “Oh, shit, really?”

She nodded, a little sad. “Yeah. It was the 27th.” It was alright, though. She’d get over it, although she was sad she didn’t spend it with her family and was, instead, sick in the middle of nowhere with someone she’d known for a month.  _Ain’t no party like an apocalypse party_.

Avi hugged her against his side, holding her there tightly. “Happy birthday to you,” he sang, grinning at her.

"No, Avi, stop!" She laughed, pushing him in the side, completely embarrassed but flattered as he continued to sing to her.  
______

What should have been a two day hike, at the very most, turned out to be a week’s worth of walking. The ground was so uneven and rocky, they were lucky to make a mile in a day. The worsening cold wasn’t helping anything, and Avi seemed to be stressing more and more as the month dragged on.

"So," Launa said as they settled down for the night, "we’re totally stuffing ourselves silly on Thanksgiving, right?"

Avi gave her a wry smile. “Absolutely.”

"Joking." She patted his shoulder as she passed him and sat, starting dinner.

"I know."

They sat in silence, Avi’s legs drawn up to his chest, crossing his arms and resting them and his chin on his knees. Launa placed a comforting hand on his back, rubbing gently. “Want to talk about it?”

A sad smile settled on his lips. “I just realized that we probably won’t be home to celebrate the holidays with our families,” he murmured and gave a quiet sigh, “I’m sorry I can’t get you home any faster, Launa.”

She slid her arm across his broad shoulders in a hug. “I’m sorry I can’t get  _you_  home.”

He let out a dry laugh. “We apologize a lot.”

"We really do."  
______

By the end of the week, Chinle was finally within reach, and Launa felt the urge to kiss the nearest building. It was the biggest town they’d come across since they’d left Grand Junction, the abundance of buildings soothing her.  _Although,_  she thought,  _since it’s so much bigger, the likelihood of finding bodies is much higher_. She cringed and tried not to think about it.

It was late afternoon when they made their way down the main road, avoiding cracks and gaps in the concrete and surveying the area. Just as every town before, buildings and houses were toppled over, shaken to the side and all-around decimated. There were a couple of lucky structures that had somehow survived the quakes, but the whole place had generally been rattled apart.

They located the nearest store that contained canned goods, stocking up as well as they could. Their supply had started to run a bit low, and that was more than a little nerve-wracking. That was a thing that was non-negotiable- it absolutely could not happen. The load on their shoulders was heavy, but it was worth it.  _Better safe than sorry._

Although, with a little bit of persuasion, Avi convinced Launa to ‘put the pea soup down and no one and gets hurt’. She only conceded because there was enough of a variety in the shop to pass one or two things up, and  _not_  because of the pleading, pitiful look he gave her.

They headed for the nearest inn, not even needing to discuss it, and were thankful to find that, even though a couple of the rooms no longer had a roof, they had shelter and a bed for the night.

Neither of them were able to sleep right away, and stayed up talking and pointing out what constellations they could recognize through the hole in the ceiling.  
______

Launa was woken up by the roar of a car engine outside. Unable to locate Avi in the room, she ran for the door, barely awake, grinning at him sitting behind the wheel, looking all-too-pleased with himself. “Can I hitch a ride?” she called.

"Only if you ask nicely." He replied, voice low in his chest, and crooked a finger to beckon her over.

She bounced over, bold with sleepiness and unable to believe their luck, she leaned against the door, kissing his cheek. “Please?” she asked, playing along.

He glanced her over, a smile spreading across his face. “Yeah, I guess so.”

They quickly loaded their bags up into the car- a little black thing that might get them to the next town, if the road decided to be kind to them- and tore out of Chinle as fast as possible, setting their sights on Ganado, Launa yelping in surprise as Avi gunned the engine.  
______

"How in the hell have we gotten so lucky?" Launa asked, bracing herself against her seat as they bounced over bumps and minor cracks in the highway, "I mean, we finally hit Chinle, and it’s been pretty smooth sailing since then. Doesn’t that seem kind of weird to you?"

Avi shook his head. “I’m not even going to question it,” he said, shifting uncomfortably and running his thumbs over the steering wheel, “I’m just grateful.”

She couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling, not after she’d voiced her worry. She clenched her hands into fists on her lap, trying hard to shake the anxiety from her being, but having very little luck. He reached over and engulfed one of her hands in his own, squeezing it gently in an attempt to be reassuring. “Try not to worry about it,” he told her, brushing her knuckles with his thumb, “whatever happens, we’ll get through it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	17. Chapter 17

On November 6th, they breezed into Ganado as if the past month of travel hadn’t been a hardship. Avi killed the engine so they could quickly scan over the town and see if there was anything they needed. Launa puffed hot air into her hands- it was particularly cold and she didn’t like it. Not one bit.

"It’s the desert," she complained, peering in the window of a collapsing college dorm room, "why is it so cold, today?" She didn’t receive a response from her partner, who had thrown his weight into a door to squeeze inside. Rolling her eyes, she jogged over to him. "And then you yell at me not to disturb the buildings."

"Oh, shush," he hopped back over the broken pieces of the door, "I wasn’t going to be in for very long, and it was still pretty strong."

Launa just did her best impression of a disapproving parent, drawing a laugh from him. “Alright,” she gave up, “what was so important?”

Without a word, he pulled a dark red scarf out of his coat pocket and draped it around her neck. “For the Northern girl who can’t stand the cold,” he joked, and pulled out a black one for himself, flinging one end over his shoulder, “and because it’s going to get colder than this.”

He patted her on her back before steering her away from the building, his hand placed on the small of her back. “Hey, what if I wasn’t done, here?” she grumbled.

Avi immediately stopped and met her gaze. “Were you not?”

She glanced over her shoulder at the dorms, biting her lip as she considered them, doing a mental checklist of their supplies. “Nah,” she decided, “I’m good.”

He gave her a smile and continued to the car, his hand still resting on her back. She mirrored him and slid an arm around his waist.  _When did this happen? You usually hate people touching you- especially your back_. The thought struck her as odd, but then agreed.  _Yeah, but, I don’t mind the people I’m close to doing it._

_You two are close?_

Launa quickly looked up at him, taking in his profile, and a small smile sliding onto her lips as he pulled her a little closer.

 _Yeah. The end of the world will do that to people._  
______

Ganado was not more than a pit stop, and they swiftly cruised down the highway, meeting minor imperfections and problems caused by the quakes. It had been three weeks since the last one, and, even though neither of them said it aloud, they were starting to get nervous.

They arrived in Chambers not that long, after. Launa couldn’t believe how much ground they were covering, watching as the little motel of the location sped past them. Avi didn’t dare stop. The car was just a little older than the truck they’d first used, and the sound the engine made him nervous. “Why?” She asked him.

He bit his lip. “Every time you hotwire a car, you risk causing it some significant damage,” he glanced the dash over and patted the wheel, almost as if to soothe the vehicle, “I’m just worried that I screwed it up, already.”

They didn’t stop until about halfway to Holbrook, and the gas was starting to run low. He figured it was safe enough to turn the car off and stop for the evening- the headlights weren’t working, and the sun was more than halfway below the horizon, making it difficult to see the road.

"Think it’ll get us to the next town?" Launa wondered, taking a bite of her dinner.

Avi pulled out the map, marking where they were, and squinted down the road. “It should,” he said, tucking the map away and picking up his bowl, “If not, it will at least get us pretty close.”

They fell asleep relatively quickly, reclined in the seats of the car. Sleeping in vehicles was never the most comfortable, but, it beat sleeping in the dirt with a single set of bedding. He wished her good night and kissed her forehead, as had become something of a routine, but it made her smile nonetheless, and she wished him good dreams.

She woke to him holding her hand, still deep asleep.  
______

Just as Avi had predicted, the little, black car got them just within the edge of Holbrook, wheezing, gasping, and sputtering its last fumes of gas and slowing to a stop. The pair hauled themselves and their bags out of the vehicle, patting its hood as they departed from it.

They were firmly in the desert, now, much to Launa’s chagrin. She hated the cold, but this was the opposite of her usual climate.  _Two different extremes of hell_. It was still pretty warm, for early November, and she quickly shed the scarf, tucking it into one of her bags.

They made their way through the small city. There wasn’t a whole lot to see- it looked as though it had been pretty well picked over, and Avi nearly stumbled into her upon spotting a body halfway through decomposition. “Why do I always find the corpses?” He groaned, taking deep breaths as she patted his shoulder.

As the afternoon progressed, the sun’s heat bore down on the pair, forcing both to shed their jackets, and pausing so Launa could help him tie his loose curls up off of his neck. He muttered his thanks, shivering when she blew cold air across his damp skin.

"What is with this?" he groaned, fanning himself, "I know it’s Arizona, but damn-"

"-it’s November, for fuck’s sake," she finished, wiping sweat from the back of her neck, "Let’s find somewhere to squat till it cools down."

"It might be hotter, indoors."

"Then we’ll leave the door open, if there is one," she argued, "shade indoors is better than exposure outdoors." She could feel her nose prickle with an oncoming sunburn. Damn her Irish skin.

He conceded without another word, too hot and exhausted to argue, and the idea of shade was far too good to pass up.

They sluggishly made their way to the house in the best condition- and corpse-free, thankfully- Launa collapsing into a chair and Avi onto the floor.

"Fuck this heat," he spat, sprawling on the linoleum and revelling in the chill of it.

"With a cactus." she agreed, letting her head loll back. This was ridiculous. One day, it was freezing, and the next, it felt like her skin was melting. She was starting to consider whacking off at least half of her hair, just to relieve her from the heat. She peeled off her t-shirt, leaving her in her sleeveless undershirt.

Avi snorted at her comment, then cringed. “That would hurt. A lot.”

They stayed put for a long while, only moving to gulp down water. “This sucks.” Launa groaned, wishing desperately for snow.  
______

They really had no choice but to stay in the house they’d chosen. Neither of them were well-equipped to deal with this kind of heat, despite his growing up in California. Travelling with heavy bags just wasn’t doable, end of story.

The previous owners of the house- a family of the outdoorsy type, from what they could tell- had a thermostat pasted to the window, and Launa nearly shrieked in horror when it hit 115 degrees Fahrenheit. “Okay,” she said, jabbing her index finger aggressively at the little contraption, “That ain’t normal. We should be dead at that temperature.”

Avi laughed nervously. “You clearly haven’t been out of the north, before.”

"I’ve been to Nassau, and it was around 100!"

"And what did you do?"

She fixed him with a sarcastic stare, propping her hands on her hips. “I died, obviously,” she snarked, “You’ve been travelling with a ghost, this entire time.”

She grinned as he laughed at her statement, his smile seemingly more charming than ever. _The heat is boiling your brain_ , _Launa_. She heaved a sigh and agreed with the thought, turning to lean her elbows on the kitchen counter, listening to his boots as he wandered off into the house.

They agreed to wait until the heatwave passed- surely, the strange occurrence couldn’t last long, especially with winter approaching.

They weren’t entirely correct.

The pair had been sitting there for about three days, trying to wait out the sweltering heat and snapping in irritation at each other on occasion. They’d quickly discovered that, while they usually got along just fine, their tempers against each other could have potential firepower. Nothing too serious happened, however, beyond demanding silence, and they always quickly apologized.

Avi was being a gentlemen and refused to shed his shirt for his own comfort, even though Launa insisted that she ‘didn’t give a shit, now strip’. He only ever responded by shaking his head, smiling, and thanking her, but still refused.

"It’s not exactly fair that men get to walk around shirtless, but women don’t," he said, one evening, a deep frown settling on his face, "it’s complete bullshit."

Launa rolled her eyes. “You just wanna see boobies.”

He looked her in the eye, completely serious. “No,” he insisted, “I just hate how unequal that crap is. Or any of it.”

She stared at him for a long moment before grinning. “Thanks.” _I think I love you, a little bit._ She wasn’t used to meeting people, especially men, that agreed with her on issues like this.  _Your parents raised you right_.

They slept on a bed completely devoid of covers, stripped down to its sheets, but remained in the majority of their clothes. She had, however, woken up one morning to find her nose nearly pressed against Avi’s bare back- he’d given in during the evening and rid himself of it. She had not been able to fall back asleep, afterward, needless to say.

Their routine continued, a good night, a wish for good dreams, and he kissed her forehead. And each night, the pair silently wished for the weather to be merciful and allow them to continue their journey.

It didn’t seem to be working.

______

On the fourth morning, November 11th, Launa slipped out of unconsciousness and immediately noticed that something had changed. She drew in a deep breath and shivered a little. The temperature had finally dropped. It wasn’t a huge change, but it was enough of a difference to warrant a bit of celebration. She turned to face Avi, ignoring just how good his back looked and how his jeans hugged his hips, and gently shook his shoulder. “Avi,” she whispered, placing her hand fully on his shoulder and resisted the urge to slide it across his pale skin, “Avi, wake up.”

His snore turned into a groan and he buried his face into his pillow, mumbling something that sounded like ‘no’. She grinned wide, biting back a laugh, and shook him again, a little more enthusiastically, this time. “Come on, dude,” she called quietly, trying to wake him gently, “Wake up.”

Avi turned completely onto his stomach and turned his head to face her, hair touseled and his face screwed up in annoyance. “I hate mornings,” he croaked, blinking slowly awake, “what’s up?”

She sat cross-legged on the bed beside him, letting her eyes wander to the freckles on his shoulders, for a moment, before catching herself.  ** _Stop_**. “It cooled down,” she explained, excited, “we can probably get out of here, today!”

He smiled sleepily and slid his arms under the pillow to cradle his head. “Thank God,” he cheered quietly, “It’s about ti-” he stopped short and lifted his head, seeming to be listening for something.

Launa frowned, confused, until she heard it, too: something tiny and infrequent tapping on the windows and roof. “What’s that sound?” she asked, not daring to raise her voice above a whisper.

He propped himself up on his elbows. “I think it’s,” he paused, listening intently, “I think it’s rain.”  
______

Both of them, with Avi yanking his shirt on, bounded downstairs, and to the busted front door, gaping in disbelief. It  _was_  raining. What had started as a light drizzle when they were upstairs had steadily grown into an all-out downpour, the rain hammering against the dry, dusty ground. They simultaneously released excited shouts.

"It’s raining!" Launa cried, then screwed up her face in confusion, "In the desert." She peered out the door, studying the heavy rainfall. " _A lot_.”

He jogged through the door frame and landed in a building puddle, arms outstretched to catch as much of the rain as he could.

"Avi!" she shouted, "What the hell are you doing?"

He turned around in a circle, sticking his tongue out at the sky, catching water on it, before turning to face her. “Come on,” he called, beckoning her out, “the water’s great!”

She just laughed at him, watching as he turned in circles, the rain completely drenching him and his loose hair plastering to the sides of his face and neck, and a wide grin stretching across his lips. “If you think I’m going to splash in the puddles, you’re nuts.” She said, crossing her arms. Truthfully, she would join him, but she didn’t want to take the time to retrieve her jacket from upstairs.

Avi splashed over to her, entirely soaked, but giddy as hell. “Come on, please?” he pleaded, reaching out for her hand, “You made me dance. It’s your turn, now.”

She looked around for a moment, seeing if anyone was looking-  _of course they’re not. They’re either dead or evacuated_.- and sighed in resignation, taking his chilled, wet hand and let him pull her out into the onslaught of tepid rain.

He spun Launa around, splashing her with water every chance he got, and getting back just as much. She quickly relaxed, dancing and purposefully singing ‘Singing in the Rain’ badly, to which he pulled her into a lopsided, goofy dance and joined in.

After all of the heat and too-heavy sunlight, the rainwater felt so good on her skin, chilling her pleasantly and washing away the dirt that had smeared over their faces. She breathed in the wet air, elation coursing through her. Dancing with him, again, was just as fun as the first time, laughing and growing dizzy as they spun around with the downpour as the background music.

The pushing, shoving, and splashing died down, and Avi pulled her against him, instantly resting his chin on her head and his hand on the small of her back. “Am I just a head-rest?” she teased, poking him in the stomach and breathing heavily from the exertion.

"For now? Yes." he answered simply, swaying in place with her in something akin to a slow dance as the rain beat down on them.

Launa rested her cheek just below his collarbone, frowning. “Why is this happening?” she asked aloud, “first, the earthquakes, then the freak heatwave in a winter month-“

"-I don’t think it was entirely freaky, for the state-"

"-whatever, and now this," she shrugged, wrapping one arm around his waist and settling her other hand near her face on his chest, his heat seeping through his soaked shirt, "Everything is wigging out." He hummed in response, covering her hand with his. "Any thoughts?"

Avi remained quiet for a moment. “I think, given what we’ve seen, thus far, that the continent, or at least the country, is no longer maintaining its balance. That was pretty obvious when places that don’t usually get earthquakes suddenly did the chimichanga.”

Launa snorted hard and laughed into his chest. “You know that ‘chimichanga’ isn’t a dance, right?” she asked, looking up at him, “It’s a food.. thing.”

"That’s beside the point," he said, laughing, meeting her gaze, "You know what I mean."

She nodded, her heartbeat picking up in her rib cage, taking in his hair sticking to his face with rainwater and his wide smile.  _Does he always have to be so attractive?_  She willed herself to stop with these irritating thoughts, but no matter what she did, she couldn’t keep her heart rate from increasing or her cheeks from heating up.  _Gods, that’s so annoying_. “Yeah,” she said, clearing her throat, “yeah, I know. I was just giving you shit.”

His smirk nearly stopped her cold. “You always give me shit.”

"Yup," she chirped, fighting the quaver in her voice, "that’s my specialty!"

Avi flickered his green eyes over her face, smiling as he moved to brush hair from her forehead. “We are completely soaked,” he chuckled, sliding the hair from her face, his other arm still holding her tight against him, “sorry for making you come out here.”

She shook her head. “I probably would have come out on my own, anyway,” Launa replied, grinning, “it takes a little persuasion, sometimes.”

He winked. “Good thing I’m good at that, then.”  _Oh, god, don’t flirt with me, not when you look like **that**_. A drop of water rolled down his nose and he wrinkled it, muttering that it tickled and causing them both to laugh. He brought his hand up, again, cradling her jaw in his hand and brushed his nose over hers, her breath stuttering at his proximity.

_Why isn’t my body moving?!_

_Because, stupid_ , the voice that rarely came out, the one that usually spoke the truth above the others, rang clear in her head, _it’s what you want. And not in the blurred lines kinda way. You actually do. Just let yourself have something good, for once, would ya?_

It was so dumb,  _so dumb_ , but she couldn’t muster the energy or the will to argue. “Launa?” he rumbled, “are you alright?”

She blinked several times times before letting a quick sigh whoosh out of her. No more arguments were being made in her head. “Yeah,” she replied, “I’m as good as I’m gonna get.”

"That’s pretty damn good, if you ask me." Avi smiled, pausing for a long moment. He leaned ever-so-slightly, brushing his lips over hers. Her breath caught in her throat, her eyes fluttering shut as he pressed a a gentle, tentative kiss to her lips. She was suddenly hyper-aware of every point of contact: the fingerprint of his thumb as he slipped it over her cheek, each of his fingers splaying over her back, the wrinkles in his soaked shirt as it twisted between her numb fingers and the way his heart thudded under her palm as he softly molded his mouth to hers. The sensation overload left her dizzy and holding onto him for dear life. She pressed back, a little firmer, trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach. He pulled her impossibly closer to him, his thumb sliding over her jaw as he kissed her.

They parted slowly, lingering for a moment as they leaned into each other, she sliding both hands to his chest and he resting a hand on her waist as he planted a swift kiss on her mouth, once, twice, and she found herself smiling like an idiot. “Your beard tickles,” she laughed, tugging lightly on his shirt, but not daring to open her eyes.

"I’m sorry," he said, grinning, and kissing her cheek, then the other.

"No, you’re not," she retorted, shaking her head and opening her eyes, sliding her hands up to cup his jaw in both hands.

Avi paused, again. “No, I’m not,” he agreed, kissing her one more time, murmuring softly against her lips. “Not in the slightest.”

Launa couldn’t stop herself from smiling, even as she returned his kiss.

Even when the rain stopped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	18. Chapter 18

They quickly retreated back into the house, beginning to shiver. Avi located clean towels, wrapping her up in one and rubbing her shoulders before attending to his sopping hair. They barely spoke a word to each other, but something had clicked, and every brush of his fingers on her skin felt like fire and she wanted so badly to kiss him again.  _Just one more time._

She remained silent.

Changing into their clean, dry clothes, they draped their soaked ones over the shower curtain rod and the edge of the bathtub to dry. And, in an unspoken agreement of ‘we are now too damned cold to function’, they climbed back into bed, pulling the covers up with them. Launa bit her lip, unsure of how to proceed. She supposed they would need to discuss it, but _gods_  did she hate talking about this kind of shit.

She instinctively laid with her back to him, curling in on herself. She didnt want to admit it, but she was terrified- but, she didn’t know why. She wrung her hands, anxiety settling low in her stomach, and nearly jumped out of her skin when Avi brushed his fingers over her shoulder, making her look over her shoulder. “Hey,” he said, voice barely above a whisper, looking concerned, “Are you okay?”

Launa hesitated before nodding, unsure of how to answer. _I’m horribly attracted to you, we kissed, and now I’m terrified. I’m okey fucking dokey._  “I, uh,” she stuttered, no viable lie coming to mind, “I don’t know.”

His brows drew together in a frown. “Can I help?”

She turned to face him, chewing her lip, catching the way his eyes flickered down to her mouth for a split second. Her vocal chords were having trouble working, she found, and just nodded.

Thankfully, he understood what she needed before she did, lifting the covers between the two of them in a silent invitation to lay with him. Launa shifted herself forward, tentatively leaning into him and slipping an arm around his waist, getting wrapped tightly in his grip, and she let out a shaky breath, tucking her head against his neck. Avi petted her hair, taking the opportunity to thread his fingers through it while it was free from its braid, and pressed a kiss on her cheekbone. “It’s okay,” he murmured, “whatever’s going on in there, it’s okay.”

She nodded, mumbling a thanks into his neck, and breathed him in, finally relaxing and dozed off.

______

Avi drifted somewhere between sleeping and consciousness, not able to really sleep, but not wanting to be awake. He gave a quiet sigh, tracing his fingers idly across her lower back. This was the first time he’d felt settled since the initial quake, and he took a moment to survey the situation, his brain working sluggishly against the chill and the dump of endorphins in his system. They’d been travelling for almost a month and a half, and within that time, they’d become friends- good friends, in his opinion-, saved each other’s lives a couple of times, taken care of and supported each other, and now this.

She’d kept a cool head through each earthquake they’d encountered and handled the bodies better than he did, and  _a kiss_  is what scared her? He couldn’t quite make sense of it, but tucked it away, knowing that if there was a backstory, there, she’d tell him when she was comfortable. He didn’t want to press.

In the meantime, he decided, he’d just wait, and continue on as normal, with this development worked in, if she wanted. Avi smiled into her hair, hoping that she would, and moved to plant a kiss to her forehead.  
______

The heat, thankfully, cut a wide berth around them, the rain leaving a crispness in the air that made her want a real autumn. The ones back home consisted of all the leaves dropping off the trees within two days and turning into something gross and soggy, and the desert area of Arizona had little trees to speak of, if any at all.

The rain had left the dirt moist, but still easily manuevereable. The sand was something that neither wanted to think about. “It’s probably just mud, by now,” he said, glancing out of one of the windows, then glared at a heavy cloud as if daring it to rain, again, “Once was enough.” he warned it.

Launa checked over their supplies, once more, trying to busy herself away from her partner. As bad as her thoughts about him had been, before, it was a thousand times worse, now. It felt as though a fire had been lit under her, and she couldn’t quite catch her breath against the smoke. It didn’t hurt, but he made everything so much more difficult.  _You are an involuntary function_ , she told her lungs, _Now, work like you have for the past 22 years- it’s not that damned difficult._

Avi’s hand meeting her back startled her badly, making her jump and swear. “Sorry,” he laughed, “I didn’t mean to scare you.” She told him it was okay, trying to ignore him and gulp down a full breath, zipping up her bag. “Hey, um,” he started after a long moment, “I don’t know what’s wrong, or how I can help, but, I’m sorry if-“

"No," she cut him off, righting and steadying herself before turning to look at him, "I don’t want to talk about it."

He looked hurt, but nodded anyway. “Okay,” he murmured, “I understand. I don’t want to make you uncomf-” Launa interrupted him, once more, drawing up courage to press a kiss to his lips, effectively shutting him up.

She drew away quickly, breathing a shaky sigh and resting her hands on his shoulders. “I don’t want to talk about it,” she repeated, “But I don’t mind this, at all.”

Avi blinked slowly and smiled, nodding. “Okay,” he said once more, brushing his hands down her back before moving away to pick up his bags, “Shall we, then?” He offered his hand to her.

She grinned, slinging her bags over her shoulders. “We shall,” she replied, taking his hand and stepping out of the house.  
______

Their next stop was Winslow. They were going to need to pick up more water, if they had some, as their stash of water bottles was starting to dwindle, and it made Launa wary to use the purifying tablets. “How do I know, for sure, that I’m not gonna catch the plague, or something?” she demanded.

Avi rolled his eyes. “You’ve already caught the plague.”

"You know what I mean!" she smacked him in the arm. He just laughed, voice rich and deep and making her feel wobbily, and she had half a mind to whack him again, just to feel better about how he affected her.

According to his map, they were halfway between Holbrook and Winslow, just on the outskirts of what used to be Joseph City. This particular stretch seemed to be going quickly, thankfully. Launa glanced over the map to see how much further they had till Los Angeles. Her stomach dropped. Her horror must have shown on her face, because Avi slid an arm around her shoulders, pulling her tight against his side. “Sam and Frodo had to travel halfway around their world,” he reminded her, “we can make it halfway across the country.”

She let herself grin wide and rested her head against him. “Yeah, alright,” she joked, giving him a playful push on his hip, “whatever. You’ll probably want to kill me before we break the state line.”

"Now, that," he said, voice low in his chest as he spun her around to face him, smirking, "is highly unlikely." He pressed a swift kiss to her lips and turned to settle for the evening.

Launa smiled, thanking him silently.  _That was probably the best way to do it. Just do it, don’t make a big deal, and act like it’s always happened._  She kissed his cheek and bid him a good night.  
______

The following day of travel presented no real problems- a drop in the road here, a split there. It wasn’t anything they couldn’t handle. Their supplies were still looking decent, and it seemed as though there was very little to worry about.

"Alright," Avi started, sitting heavily on the bed in the house they’d chosen, as they hit Winslow just as night fell, "Another leg of the highway crossed. I think Flagstaff is next along the road," he pulled the map out and laid it out on the sheets, then turned to smirk at her, "Unless you want to visit the crater?"

She snorted and sat next to him. “Let’s save the sight-seeing for later, honey,” she joked. Her ‘granny terms of endearment’, as she called them, ran freely around people she’d grown comfortable with, but had learned long ago to just roll with whichever one spilled out.

"If you insist, dear," he teased back, elbowing her gently in the side. Launa smiled softly as he marked where they were, then traced a line to Flagstaff on the map before folding and tucking it away. He stretched and stood, swiftly shedding his coat and toeing off his boots, yawning loudly, "I’m beat." He groaned, heading back to the bed and flopping face-down onto it.

 _Not yet, you’re not_. Launa sat ramrod straight, jaw snapped shut and eyes wide, completely shocked at the intrusive thought.  _Okay, where the hell did **that**  particular gem come from?_ She paused, turning the idea over in her head, then screwed her face up.  _Yup, definitely not a dominatrix. Good to know._

A poke in her elbow caught her attention, and she turned to look at him, watching for a moment as he poked her elbow. “Can I help you?”

He gestured for her to come closer. “C’mere,” he mumbled, and she leaned over, expecting him to whisper or something akin to that. He pulled her down to lay beside him, grinning at her annoyed sound, and pressed a lingering kiss to her lips, “That’s better.” He said, pulling away.

Launa went still, unsure of what to do, then decided to go with her stock reaction of annoyance. “Happy, now?” She grumped at him, sitting back up and crossing her arms.

"Not when your face looks like that," he replied, propping himself up on his elbows, his own face becoming serious, "So, if you don’t mind this," he gestured between the two of them, "then why the face?"

She sighed heavily, knowing the answer, but she didn’t want to say. It was dumb. “It’s just a kneejerk reaction,” she half-lied, “I wouldn’t worry too much about my face.”

A frown set deep between Avi’s brows, sitting up. “I don’t want you feeling obligated, just because of our situation- or any reason.”

 _That_  hit a button. “I don’t feel any obligation, buddy,” she snapped, “I make my own decisions and I stick by ‘em. End of story.” Launa stood from the bed to shed her jacket and t-shirt, violently ripping them off and throwing them into one of her bags.

"Okay," he said softly, "I just worry."

Her heart twinged at the tone of his voice. “Ugh, I’m sorry,” she apologized, turning back around to sit beside him, “I don’t have any excu-“

"Don’t worry about it," his sad smile tugged hard on her heartstrings, "you just seem really stressed by this, and that is the exact opposite of what I want, here."

"Oh, dude," she gingerly touched his jaw for a split second before replacing her hand in her lap, "I don’t think this is going to make anything easier."

Avi fidgeted in place, casting his eyes to the bedspread. “Would you rather we not do this?”

 _God, she hated these things._  “I’d rather if we weren’t having this conversation,” she answered, truthfully, “Words are not my friends, especially for this kind of thing.”

The expression he wore was indescribable, and she couldn’t stop her hand from sliding into his, the pressure of his skin on hers as he squeezed her hand was comforting and burning all at once. “You’re more of an action woman?” he teased, testing the attitude shift by quirking an eyebrow at her, and her heart jumped.

Launa laughed nervously and bumped his shoulder with hers. “You shush,” she said, trying to ignore the smile that stretched across his face as he leaned in close, getting into her personal space purely for the sake of bugging her, “Stop!” she laughed, his breath tickling her neck.  
______

They settled down to sleep nearly an hour later, having tired themselves out on laughter and clearing the uncomfortable air around them. She found herself trying to find a comfortable place to rest her head on him, sure that she was annoying him, despite his grin. “You,” she grumped, resting her head on his chest but bending her neck at an almost painful angle, “have a barrel chest.”

"That’s not a good thing, is it?"

"No, not for doing this," she readjusted, trying to find a way to make it work, "it’s great for your singing, though-" she poked him gently in the ribs and sat halfway up, glancing him over, "-lots of room for resonance. It’s like you were built specifically for being loud, now that I think about it."

Avi readjusted himself with a smile, lying half on his back and half on his side, and pulling her close to attempt using him as a pillow, once more, with little luck. “This isn’t comfortable at all.” He laughed, moving to lay on his back.

"This so ain’t working," she sighed in agreement, flopping onto her back beside him, "why did we think this was a good idea?"

"Because I suggested you use me as a pillow when we don’t have one of these babies," he answered, gesturing to the bed.

Irritated, Launa pulled herself up to lay her head down on his shoulder, adjusting once or twice to find a comfortable fit and- oh  _there we go_ \- and she let out a relieved sigh. “Comfortable?” he chuckled, pulling his arm to rest around her shoulders. She only nodded in response, feeling herself drifting off, already. “Good night.” he whispered with a kiss to her forehead.

 _This better de-awkward_ , she thought,  _'cause I missed laying with someone like this_. She slid her arm tentatively across his waist, both of them falling asleep instantly.

In the middle of the night, the earth trembled beneath them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	19. Chapter 19

Launa and Avi were awoken when the earth pitched them out of bed, hitting the floor hard. Startled awake, they scrambled for their bags, trying desperately to keep their balance against the rolling motion that overtook the place. Chunks of the ceiling came down, jostled from their precarious position, and nearly crashed down onto their heads.  _I am **not** getting trapped, again._ If it weren’t for the fear coursing through her, she would have been consumed in a rage at the thought of the earth trying to murder her, once more.

They ducked out of the house as fast as possible, jumping over what was left of the porch and sprinted away from it, not pausing to watch it or the others around it collapse. He grabbed for her hand, leading the way out of town, running for their lives.

Even as they met the edge of Winslow, the ground hadn’t stopped trembling, and they could hear crackling of dirt and rock as the earth split open with the force of the quake.

_Please stop._

_Stop this._

_**Stop**._

The earth didn’t listen.

"We can’t stay here," Avi shouted over the sound of the quake, "Come on!" And he pulled her down the road, neither of them able to properly see the highway in the dark and going purely off the sound of their boots hitting the asphalt.

A split in road met them, closed, but with the far edge raised at least six feet higher than their side, creating a wall. Unable to see a way around, he hoisted her up with her foot in his hands, tossed up the bags, and she pulled him up, scrabbling up the side and trying not to roll down the incline when he reached the top.

And just as suddenly as it had started, the grinding of tectonic plates ceased.

They held their breath, waiting out the aftershock that soon followed, bracing themselves on their hands and knees. The rolling stopped, and, after a long moment, Launa flopped onto the ground, groaning. “I am so sick of this shit!” she cried, fists clenched.

Avi laughed, doubling over as he wheezed, shoulders shaking as it became silent laughter. “What the hell is your issue?” she demanded, smacking his shoulder. He just waved her away, unable to properly draw a breath.

"You-" he wheezed, looking up and getting it together for just a moment before crumpling into laughter, again, "you- with the- and-" the rest of his words were garbled and lost.

Launa gave him an incredulous look, starting to smile at how badly he was losing his shit. “Okay, so, you need more sleep.” He fell onto his back, feet braced on the ground and trying to catch his breath. “Man, stress does weird things to you.”

He waved at her again. “ ** _Shh_**!” he shushed her, “You’re not helping!”

Smiling, she pushed gently at his knee. “You’re a weirdo.” She glanced to the ground, biting down the fear that threatened to flood her. Winslow was practically leveled. “Well, we’re not getting back in there.”

Finally catching his breath, Avi rolled onto his side, looking the town over and inhaling deeply. “If it weren’t for this wreck of a town,” he said quietly, then gestured to the little cliff the split had created that they were currently perched on, “this would be a great view.”

She tossed the bedding at his face.  
______

The following day was another hot one, despite the fact that they were quickly approaching the end of November. They followed their usual routine: get up, have breakfast, discuss the plan of attack, mouthwash, load themselves up with bags, move out.

They trudged along the highway to Flagstaff, cutting around splits and cracks in the earth’s crust, and hopping across when they couldn’t be avoided. Launa wiped at her forehead, glaring in the sun’s direction. _I hope you know how much I currently despise you._

They paused their journey at noon, taking the time to gulp down what water they needed and being careful not to waste any. She inspected her fingers, cringing at the dry, rough skin of her knuckles and wishing for some hand lotion. Motion beside her foot caught her attention. Looking up from her hand, her eyes widened in horror.

Avi jumped as Launa’s shriek pierced the air. Whipping around, he found her leaping from her spot on the ground, flailing, and sprinting from- “Holy  _shit_ ,” he swore. That was the biggest fucking spider he’d ever seen.

The thing scuttled around, approaching her bags, and she screamed at it. “Don’t you _fucking dare get away from my stuff oh my God, **kill it**_!!”

He screwed his face up in disgust at the hairy arachnid, whipped out the knife he had stored in his boot, bid it farewell, and drove it into the creature, pinning it to the ground. Once it had finally stopped twitching, Avi turned to look at her, who had buried her face in her hands and pulled in on herself as much as possible. “It’s dead.”

"Are you sure?" came her muffled reply.

He glanced back at the spider’s corpse, then back at her with a slightly amused smile. “I’m sure.”

Launa peeked out from between her fingers, inspecting the scene from afar. “Okay.” she squeaked, “Thank you.”

He stood and moved toward her, pulling her into a hug, trying hard not to laugh. “You’re not afraid of dead bodies, earthquakes-“

"-I’m afraid of the effects of them-"

"-whatever. You’re not afraid of life-threatening situations and normally scary things," he teased, making her look up at him, "but you’re afraid of kisses and spiders."

She shoved him in the chest. “Wolf spiders are poisonous, you ass!”

Avi tipped his head to the side. “Okay, yes,” he said, considering it, “but kisses aren’t.”

She sniffed, and crossed her arms, trying not to smile and failing terribly. “Cooties.” She went to collect her bags, cutting a wide berth around the spider’s corpse. When she stood again, her partners lips pressed to her cheek, his beard brushing against her skin. “Ew!” she cried, mockingly childish and pushed at him.

"Oh, whatever," he teased, hoisting his bags onto his back, "you like my cooties."

Launa ignored him and started off down the road. They’d been walking for a few minutes when he broke the silence, again. “By the way,” Avi said, “your scream was the highest pitched thing ever.”

"Ugh, shut up."  
______

They settled for the evening, hours later, and continued in their routine of travel: choose a spot, lay out the bedding, have dinner, check the map to mark their journey, say ‘good night’ and go to sleep.

Launa added one more step to it, that night: check for spiders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	20. Chapter 20

It was definitely cold, now. Launa wrapped the scarf that Avi had retrieved for her snugly around her neck. She’d definitely seen worse, but it wasn’t pleasant, especially with the winds kicking up.

Things were changing extremely quickly, and things were happening that were worrisome. In the middle of the night, halfway between Winslow and Flagstaff, a loud rumbling in the distance startled them awake. They hadn’t been able to see, hear, or otherwise observe anything else. Just the one boom, and then it was done.

They estimated that they were another day’s travel to the city, but they still hadn’t seen any evidence of what they had heard.

"What do you suppose it was?" Launa asked, taking a bite of her dinner.

Avi chewed his lip. “I don’t know,” he said, frowning at his bowl, “The most logical explanation would be thunder, but it’s usually raining, too. And, if it were that far away, we wouldn’t have heard it. But if it were closer to us, we would have seen the lightning, too.”

Everything he said was true, which ruled out thunder. “Everything else that would have been that loud would either be right nearby,” she agreed, “or we would have seen something to go with the noise.”

He nodded and finished his dinner.

Launa scanned the horizon, worried. What the hell is going on?

They cleaned up for the night and settled onto the bedding, Avi pulling his coat to cover the both of them and settled against her back, his knees tucked against the back of hers and his arm draped over her waist. “Try not to worry about it, Launa,” he breathed, pressing a kiss to her neck, “We’ll figure out, later, I’m sure.”

A shiver ran down her spine at the contact.  _If nothing else, **that**  was a distraction_. She took a deep breath, hiding her reaction, and nodded. “I’ll try, but I guarantee nothing.”

His chuckle vibrated her back, and he fell asleep less than five minutes later, snoring quietly into her hair. It took her awhile longer to soothe her hormones and drift off. _I fucking hate him sometimes._  
______

One of her favorite things, while they were travelling, was when Avi got bored, because he’d usually start to hum or sing. It made her brain feel like it was wrapped in cotton, and her muscles relaxed. And, as much as she’d wished it hadn’t, the hallucination she’d had when she was sick at the beginning of the month- the one about being able to see his voice and how it looked like molten gold- hadn’t gone away. Every now and again, she’d see a wisp of gold tumble from his lips, or she’d feel it slide up her spine.

And sometimes, he’s sing something she’d recognize. “How the hell,” she laughed, sorry that she interrupted, but amused all the same, “do you know Thrift Shop?”

He looked at her incredulously. “I do have a radio,” he said, almost offended, then shrugged, “and friends that listen to a lot of really current stuff.”

They remained quiet for a long moment, until Launa busted out, at the top of her lungs, “Walk up into the club, like, what up, I got big-“

"-Duck," he finished, and the look of confusion on her face had him doubling over laughing. Regaining his composure under her glare, he just grinned at her, dropping his voice, "I’m gonna pop some tags, only got 20 dollars in my pocket.."

They sang, laughing as he censored her, the rest of the way to Flagstaff.  
______

The giddiness abandoned them the moment they set foot in the city.

The multiple earthquakes that had hit Flagstaff practically had it leveled. There were a handful of buildings left standing upright, but most of the houses in the residential area they came to, first, had completely collapsed in on themselves. The stench of death rolled out from a particular street, which they smartly avoided. The area appeared to have been mostly evacuated, but had left several households behind.

They meandered down to the shopping area of town, hoping to happen across a store that was still standing. Five shops later, and still no luck. Everything had been shaken down to its foundation, and the amount of bodies they spotted was distressing.

 _What happened that made them leave so many people behind?_  Launa glanced around, her back hunched over as she fidgeted her hands.

"Does it feel wrong, to you?" Avi asked her quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

She nodded. “Like everyone said ‘every man for himself, fuck the rest’?”

"Kind of, yeah." He clenched his fists, and she wrapped her hand around his wrist, coaxing him into linking his fingers with hers. "Why would they abandon these people?" He forced himself to look away from a rotting body that could have only belonged to a child.

She didn’t know how to answer, staying silent and squeezing his hand gently. She bit down her disgust at the shoddy evacutation. “Avi,” she called to him gently, pulling his hand to bring his attention away from the horror that surrounded them, “there’s nothing we can do for them.”

He turned to face her, anger written all over his face. “I know,” he sighed, “This is just..”

She took a deep breath and cupped his jaw in her other hand, running her thumb over his cheek. “I know. Me, too,” she looked him directly in the eye and tucked a curl behind his ear, “but, all we can do is keep going.”

Avi nodded leaning his head into her hand momentarily before moving to walk beside her, her hand still clasped in his.

They came across two stores that hadn’t completely fallen apart, and they entered tentatively, unsure of whether the structure would hold with their intrusion. Once it had proved to be sturdy, Launa made her way to the canned goods while he scanned the area for bottled water. A few minutes later, they met at the front of the store.

"Bad news," Launa said, "it’s been cleaned out."

Avi frowned. “Same with the water.”

"What the actual fuck?" she cried, voice echoing in the dull silence,

"Something is seriously weird, here."

He nodded in agreement.

Something moved.

They both whipped their heads around to find the source.

"Did you see that?" she breathed.

"Yeah," he answered, "it looked like a person."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This story should now be considering slightly NSFW. Proceed with caution.

Dropping his bags, Avi took off out of the store as fast as his legs could carry him. Launa hauled the four bags to the door, watching his coat flap behind him as he ran.

"Hey!" he shouted, catching a glimpse of a young man as he rounded a corner, " **Hey**!” The man didn’t stop, but only ran faster, twisting around the streets and over broken down fences.

Avi swore, severely slow in comparison- this guy clearly knew what he was doing. His boots thudded over the pavement, chasing after the stranger until, finally, after another bend in the street, he disappeared from view. He slowed to a stop, bracing his hands on his knees and panting. He glanced quickly around, listening intently for any noises that might give the stranger away, but he neither heard nor saw anything. Hide nor hair.

He clenched his fists, pissed that he’d failed in catching or making him stop. He ran a hand over his face, sighing heavily as he caught his breath, and started to trudge back to the store he’d left Launa in.

Grim realization and paranoia hit him like a ton of bricks: what if the guy had gone back to find her?

Pure fear fueled his momentum as he sprinted back.  
______

Launa grumbled, slowly heaving the four bags of supplies up the street she’d seen Avi go down, the weight causing her normal, relatively quick pace to slow to a crawl.  _I’m a snail_. And she was just the teeniest bit annoyed at Avi, though she couldn’t help but worry.  _What if he caught the guy?_

 _What if the guy caught **him**_?

She chewed her lip hard, freezing in place as the horrible mental image of Avi getting his throat slashed flooded her mind.

"Launa!"

She whipped her head up, sighing in relief to see Avi running toward her, looking stressed and flushed, but very much alive. She didn’t even get a word out as he barreled into her, clasping her tight to his chest.

Dropping the packs, she gripped him around his waist, returning the embrace just as enthusiastically. “Are you okay?” She asked, muffled by his shoulder.

"Yeah, I’m fine," he answered, a little breathless, rubbing her back and squeezing her one more time before sliding his hands to her shoulders, "just horribly out of shape. You’d think all of this walking would have helped me catch him. What about you?" He flickered his eyes up and down her, checking quickly for injuries.

"I’m fine," she said, shaking her head and resting her hands on his waist, “‘Him’? It was a guy?"

Avi nodded, swiping his hair from his eyes. “From what I could tell, yeah,” he said, dropping his hand back onto her shoulder, “slippery little bastard.”

She led him over to the side of the store, both leaning against it as he gulped down air and water. “So, there’s people out here,” she mused aloud, “But, they don’t seem keen on talking to strangers.”

"No," he agreed, "They  _do_  seem pretty damned keen on being creepy, though.”

Launa snorted, nodding. “Things just got a little scarier.”

"Just a bit, yeah."  
______  
More than a little wary of their surroundings, the fact that they were no

longer completely alone was unnerving and not at all comforting. They chose to settle in a house that had a vehicle out front that was made for off-road driving. That gave them a little hope that there would be some sort of weapons inside.

They were more than a little disappointed that they found no guns, but were nonetheless thankful for shelter for the evening. Launa made her way up to the bedroom, not daring to breathe and wincing when the floorboards creaked under her weight. The house proved to be empty, save for them. A dull, heavy silence surrounded them.

Avi gingerly set his bags down in the corner of the room, his legs trembling slightly from the chase. “It might be better that you didn’t catch him,” she said, kicking her boots off and removing her zippered jacket, “if you had, there probably would’ve been a fight.”

He gave her a deep frown. “What, you don’t think I could’ve taken him?” he asked, almost challenging, “I could’ve pinned the shit, and if I still had my damn knife, I think I would’ve won, thank you.” His tone was snarky, obviously pissed, before continuing under his breath, turned away from her as he shrugged off his coat. “But, no, it’s stuck in the side of the highway on a spider.”

"Are you trying to tell me it’s  _my_  fault?” Launa snapped, temper flaring, “You didn’t have to stab the damn thing, Avi. That was  _your_  choice, not mine.”

He whirled, glaring daggers. “You’re the one who freaked so bad about it!”

"Arachnephobia is a common thing!"

"It was a _single fucking spider_!”

"And poisonous!"

Avi growled, throwing his arms up in dismay. “Not _that_  damn poisonous, Launa! You didn’t have to make such a big deal out of it.”

She stood from her seat on the bed, approaching him swiftly and standing practically chest-to-chest. “What about you?” she snarled, venom practically dripping from her as heat prickled her skin, “You didn’t have to make such a big deal out of the split.”

He gaped at her, his face twisting in fury. “I nearly  _died_!”

"I could have, too!"

"The spider isn’t that fucking dangerous!"

"No, you dick,  _saving you_!” 

Their words hung heavy in the air, their harsh breath the only sound in the room. Avi drew in a deep breath, running his hand over his face. “I’m done yelling.” He stated simply, moving toward his bags.

Launa seethed. “Oh,  _you’re_  done yelling, so we’re done?” she demanded, “I’m not fucking done, Avriel. What else do you think is stupid, huh?” He didn’t answer her. “ _What else_?!”

He stood over her, standing wide and squaring his shoulders. “I said,” he said calmly, despite his aggressive, dominating stance, “that I’m done.”

"I’m not!" she shouted, baring her teeth, her lungs burning with the need to scream, "I’m still fucking pissed! Just because _you’ve_  suddenly decided to calm your shit doesn’t mean that  _I_  have!”

"You’re still pissed?" Avi asked, raising his own voice, booming throughout the room, "Fine! Hit me!"

Launa recoiled as if he had threatened to hit her. “What?”

"You’re still angry with me," he said, then gestured to his face, which was twisted with rage, eyes greener than she’d ever seen them, "Go on. Hit me. Show me how angry you are."

She shook her head, feeling very powerless, even though he was placing the power in her hands.

"Come on, Launa," he growled, "Just fucking show me. You’re an action woman- come on!"

Fury snapped through her, sparking down her spine and mingling with  _pure frustration_  with the man before her. He had closed his eyes, obviously waiting for the blow that would never come. Taking in a deep breath as the mixture of heat consumed her, she drove her hands deep into his hair and yanked, snapping his head back, drawing a startled gasp from him. “What the-” she cut him off, sinking her teeth into the juncture of his neck and shoulder, relishing in the shiver he gave in response. He gripped her waist, a strangled moan tumbling from his lips as she sucked on the reddening skin. “This,” he gasped, “was _not_  what I expected.”

"Shut up," she snapped, tugging on his hair once more, "just shut up." She released her grip as he complied, taking his chin in one hand to kiss him hard, more teeth than anything else. He slid his hands to her rear, lifting her easily to wrap her legs around his waist, her hands dipping beneath the collar of his shirt, running her fingers over the skin of his collarbone and scraping her nails across the back of his neck.

Launa couldn’t tell which was more prevalent in her system: rage or hunger. Whichever it was, it burned through her, leaving ashes of sense in its wake. One hand twisted back into Avi’s hair, breaking the kiss as his head tipped back, exposing his throat with a sigh, and she nipped at his jaw. He practically threw her onto the bed, crawling up to cover her body with his own and looked her up and down before kissing her deeply. He ran a hand from her waist down to her knee, pulling it up and moving to settle between her legs as he tugged on her bottom lip with his teeth.

Cold fear shot ice into her stomach.  _What the hell are you **doing**?!_

"Stop," she breathed, unable to find her voice as his fingers traced the seam of her jeans along her inner thigh, "Stop, stop,  _stop!_ " She shoved at his shoulder and he froze, for a moment, moving completely away from her and off the bed, the fear in her voice startling him.

"I’m sorry," her voice wavered, "I’m so sorry, I don’t know wha-"

"You don’t need to apologize," Avi interrupted, shaking his head, "Please don’t apologize."

Launa sat up and buried her face in her hands, taking deep breaths, shaken at her own actions. “I don’t know what happened, there. To me, I mean.”

He tentatively asked her if he could sit beside her, only doing so when she consented. “I think you’re dirtier than you thought you were,” he offered, trying to lighten her mood.

She uncovered her face, dropping her hands into her lap, her lips twisting into a smile despite how she felt. Launa turned to look at him. His hair was tousled, pupils blown wide, and an angry red mark was blooming on his neck.  _Gods_ , he looked good.  _You did that._  The strange surge of power she felt was almost enough to make her kiss him, again.

"Anything I can do?" he asked, voice barely above a whisper, gingerly touching her shoulder.

She shook her head. “No,” she answered, shrugging, “There’s nothing wrong, to be honest.”

"Oh?"

"Aside from the tiny little question of ‘What the  _fuck_  are we doing’?”

He snorted, half-smiling and nodded. “Okay, yeah, you have a point,” he said, “it’s not like we’ve been at this particular thing for very long.” He took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh, the sound hanging in the dead silence of the house. “Let’s get some sleep, hm?” He stood to move his coat from the middle of the room to his bags.

"What about you?" Launa asked, gesturing in the general vicinity of his pants, "Are you, uh.. gonna be okay?"

He just shrugged, offering her another smile. “Yeah, just give me a minute,” he answered, turning to face away from her, “it’s not like I haven’t done this sort of thing before.”

"Oh, you’ve been stuck in an apocalypse, previous to this?" she teased.

Avi considered flipping her off behind his back, but decided against it. “Just get some sleep, Launa.”

She rolled her eyes, sighing dramatically and feigning hurt in an attempt to get him to laugh. “I see; I’m not the first.”

He laughed, but still didn’t turn. “Woman, I swear to God.”

"Just think of dead things."

Silence answered her.

"Dead, old grannies."

“ _Launa_.”

She snickered to herself, sliding into the bed, the chilled sheets embracing her.

"Hey," Avi called, "I’m sorry for shouting, and for everything I said."

She nodded, even though he wasn’t facing her. “It’s okay,” she replied, closing her eyes and willing the memory of their shouting away, “I said some pretty shitty things, too.”

His footfalls circled slowly around the room, and she felt the bed dip under his weight as he settled in behind her, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. “As long as you’re good,” he murmured, “I’m good.”

Launa turned on her side to face him, unsure of how close he wanted her to be. He offered his shoulder to her to rest her head, and she took him up on it, settling her forehead against his collarbone. “Good,” she echoed, draping an arm over his chest only when he slid his arm around her back, holding her close as he kissed her forehead. They remained silent for a long while, starting to drift off until she broke the stillness, feeling compelled to speak. “Avi?”

"Hmm?"

"I’m sorry I bit you."

"Oh, God," he laughed, running a hand through his hair, "Don’t you dare apologize for that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	22. Chapter 22

Launa woke up shivering, curling hard into herself and reaching across the bed in search of Avi, disappointed to find him absent. Her eyes were bleary as she blinked them open, unable to properly focus on the bare emptiness of the room. She shivered hard, the chill seeping into her joints and she stretched her hands, her knuckles creaking in protest.  _Shit, that’s cold_ , she thought, burying further into the covers and closing her eyes,  _Where is he?_

As if on cue, she heard his socks shuffling on the carpet as he returned, a dull  _clunk_  echoing through the room as he set something heavy on the nightstand before retreating under the blankets. He carefully slid an arm around her shoulders, trying not to wake her. “Hey,” she greeted, making him jump, “Where’d you go?”

Pulling her flush against him, they both were shivering. “I went to see if there was any kind of weapon left behind,” he murmured against her forehead, wrapping an arm tight around her and rubbing her back to warm her, “I woke up a little paranoid.”

"Rightfully so," she grumbled, pressing her face into his chest, "You found something?"

"Yeah," she could practically hear his grin, "A big ol’ knife."

She draped an arm over his waist, sighing as his heat seeped into her, soothing her aching joints. “Like the one you had, before?

"Yes, but bigger." Avi replied, slowly ceasing the movement of his hand on her back.

She snorted. “Bigger isn’t  _always_  better,” she teased,moving her foot slowly forward in an attempt to see if he’d let her warm her cold toes on his leg. He didn’t verbally acknowledge it, but trapped her knee between his, which was oddly comforting.

"It is, when you know what to do with it," he joked right back at her, and she could feel his smirk pressed into her forehead.

Launa sighed, exasperated and poked him the the stomach. “You’re in a mood,” she observed, finally warm enough to relax, again.

"Just a little bit." He pulled back to look at her, tipping her head up with a bent finger under her chin, and leaned in close, sighing against her lips as they kissed languidly, still too sleepy to muster too much energy into it. She shivered, pressing closer against him as he combed his fingers through her long hair, cradling the back of her head, unable to shake the butterflies in her stomach.

They parted slowly, Avi kissing her one more time before settling down on his pillow, smiling and pulling her close. “It’s still early,” he murmured, “we should get more sleep.”

She nodded, smiling into his neck. “Sounds good,” she slurred, “sleep’s a good thing.” Before drifting off, the idle thought of how completely different this situation was compared to the screaming match of the previous night crossing her mind. She waved it away, choosing to block the memory and relaxed into him, almost instantly falling back asleep.  
______

The next morning, she sat at the dining room table, twirling the knife in her hands, gently handling the shining blade.  _More like ‘miniature sword’_. The thing was huge, and had an oblong hole built in toward the tip of its blade, the handle long enough to provide good grip and balance and- “I think I’m a little in love with this thing,” she announced, gripping it tightly.

Avi poked his head around the corner, one eyebrow raised. “I beg your pardon?”

"Dude," she said, smiling and gesturing to it, "This knife is sexy."

"You have a thing for knives?"

Launa nodded, rubbing her thumb over the supple leather of the grip. “Knives, swords, dirks, daggers… the list goes on.” Her face split into a wide grin, reveling in the sheer beauty of the blade in her hands.

Avi’s arms suddenly encircled her shoulders, startling her as he leaned over the back of the chair and planted a smooch on her cheek, adding a comical smacking sound that made her crack up. “You worry me a little bit,” he said, resting his chin on her shoulder, “but, if you’re into knives, I’ll give that a try.”

She resisted the urge to elbow him in the stomach, her cheeks heating up instantly. “ _Avi, **no**!_ " He simply laughed and took the knife from her, leaving her to bury her face in her hands. "It’s not like that!" He gave her a sarcastic ‘mhmm’ as he left the room, twirling the knife between his fingers.

 _That knife and those hands are a distracting combination_. Launa groaned at the intrusive thought and let her head clunk onto the table. Today was going to be rough.  
______

They stepped tentatively from the house, taking care to be quiet, even though there was no real reason to. The stranger from the previous day had left them shaken. If there were more people nearby, they weren’t entirely sure if they wanted to meet them, especially with how the man had turned tail.

The air was cold and growing humid, now that they were in a slightly greener area of the state, and Launa couldn’t stop the shiver that overcame her, wrapping the scarf snug around her neck. “This is gonna suck,” she muttered into the scarf, hauling her bags further up on her shoulder, straining against the added weight of what supplies they could find in the house, “you all ready?”

Avi came up behind her, slinging his own bags on his back. “Ready when you are.”

They trudged up the street, setting their next destination for Bellemont. It wasn’t too far away, and the road seemed straight-forward. Exiting the city, their eyes darted around, ears straining for any strange noises, neither of them daring to breathe a word.

 _Why are we so afraid of other humans?_  Launa thought, glancing over at her partner. His hand hovered over the knife where he had strapped it to his thigh with some sturdy cloth.  _Gods, I don’t think he knows how to use that. If we come across anyone hostile, we’re gonna be shit out of luck._

_Why would anyone be hostile? We’re all humans, out here. We’re all stuck in the same situation. We’re all fighting for our lives._

_That’s exactly it, though, isn’t it? You’re all fighting for your lives- for limited resources and shelter. Because, luv, when you break humans down to their essentials, you’re all just animals with opposable thumbs and shoes. And that animal instinct dictates that you survive however you can, no matter the cost._

_What reason would those other humans have to be friendly?_

"Earth to Launa, come in, Launa," Avi’s deep voice shook her from her thoughts. She blinked several times, turning her gaze to him. His eyebrows were drawn together in a deep frown, and he stopped walking to face her completely. "Where’d you go?"

She paused for a moment then shook her head. _You don’t need to bring him down_. “Nowhere,” she lied, “I just zoned out. I’m in some serious need of caffeine.”

He looked her over for a long moment, his mouth set in a grim line. “Okay,” he murmured, nodding, reaching out to smooth down a stray bit of hair behind her ear before continuing to walk down the street, “So, when we get civilization back, I was wondering if we could have coffee, sometime?”

Launa fought the tremor that shot through her, a nervous warmth settling in her stomach at his question. “You don’t like coffee,” she said, half smiling as she fell into step beside him.

"I didn’t say that I’d have coffee, specifically," he replied, shrugging, "Just, go to a cafe and hang out." He smiled at her, watching for her reaction.

She nodded, unable to contain her answering grin. “I’d like that.”

She knew that Avi was just trying to lighten the mood, but she made a mental note, anyway, to hold him to his offer.  
______

Flagstaff was bigger than they expected, and the journey to edge of the city took far longer than anticipated. It was still light out when they reached the city limits and, with Bellemont just on the horizon, they decided to simply bite the bullet and make the full hop across. It was a fairly easy trip, but a cold one. Winter was definitely approaching.

By the time they practically fell across the threshold of the first house they came across that wasn’t falling in on itself, night had been upon them for about an hour. “Is it just me,” Avi said, sprawled on the couch, “or do we seem to be caring less and less about the state of our shelter?”

Launa pulled her scarf off and stuffed it into a bag, still shivering, but unable to stand the moisture collecting on the cloth around her mouth as she breathed. “Nah, it’s not just you.” She shivered and rubbed her arms. They’d already had dinner, which had, thankfully, warmed them, somewhat, but the chill was prevalent, even in the house.

"C’mere," he called, catching her attention.

She raised an eyebrow at him, then moved to stand in front of his splayed form. “What’s up?” He barely lifted his head, patting his thigh and repeating himself. She snorted, “I am  _not_  sitting on your lap.”

As he snapped his head up from the back of the couch, she could see Avi grasping for words, backpedaling to not seem like a creep. “Look,” he said, leaning forward onto his knees, “you’re cold. I’m cold.”

"Yeah," she slowly, "and that’s why we sleep so close together, which we really should be doing, now."

He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, looking somewhat like a fish. “Yeah, alright,” he conceded, standing and taking up his bags as they moved toward the master bedroom of the house, trying to ignore the photos on the walls, “but, seriously. You’re more than welcome to.”

"I don’t want to break your legs, Avriel."

"You won’t break my legs."

She sighed, exasperated, but smiled all the same, setting her bags down in the corner of the room. “Okay, I’ll keep it mind,” she said, “but, don’t expect me to ever take you up on it.” He laughed quietly, setting the knife under the pillow he’d designated as his, glancing over at her as she slipped off her boots and jacket, swiftly burying into the covers. “Now, get in here and warm me up.”

He quickly followed suit, settling into the chilled bed and winding his arms around Launa, pulling her close and kissing her forehead. They remained silent for a long while.

"Do you think there’s anything waiting for us in LA?" Avi wondered aloud, barely whispering the words into her hair.

She paused for a moment, her fingers tracing idle patterns on his lower back, moving along the dip of his spine. “What do you mean?”

"I mean," he said, slowly mirroring her hand’s movements with his own, "Do you think the evacuees made for the coast? Do they have the city up and running? Are they sending searches out?" His breath gave out for a split second. "Is my family alive? My friends?"

The crack in his voice startled her terribly. “Avi?” she tried gently, pulling back to look at him. His breathing had become shaky and he’d covered his eyes with his hand.

"I’m sorry," he apologized, voice thick, "I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be-"

"No, no, no," she cut him off, running a hand through his hair, "it’s okay. It’ll be okay." He cracked. Shoulders shaking with silent sobs, he pressed his face into her neck, apologizing profusely.

"I’m so sorry," he gasped, curling in on himself, "I don’t know what’s wrong."

"Stress?" Launa offered, rubbing his shoulder and offering him her arms, which he took eagerly, nodding in agreement. She wrapped her arms around him as best as he could, not knowing what to say and knowing the best she could do was to simply hold him. She steadied herself and rocked him gently, stroking his hair and waited for him to calm.  
______

Avi finally fell asleep, his forehead resting against her collarbone, arms wrapped tight around her with both hands resting against her back, her own in much the same position and their legs intertwined. She remained somewhere on the edge of sleep and consciousness, her fingers twisted in his curls and lingering at the back of his neck, listening to him starting to snore softly.

The speed in which his breakdown hit him was startling, but she understood. They’d been out here for nearly two months, with hardly another person around, and nothing but death and destruction surrounding them. Two months of fighting nature and its disasters to get back to his home. Two months of simply surviving. Of course he was stressed. Of course he was going to crack. Honestly, she was surprised he hadn’t, earlier.

Glancing down, Launa studied his face. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his eyelids were puffy, making him look completely exhausted with physical and emotional strain. She found herself wanting to see him reunited with his family as badly as she wanted to see her Mother and Grandmother.

Her breath hitched, closing her eyes tight against the tears that threatened to fall, and willed herself to not think about what might be waiting, or not waiting for her back north.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	23. Chapter 23

The following morning was silent, both waking quietly, but not quite willing to move. Avi complained of feeling completely drained, remaining wrapped around Launa for far longer than usual, keeping his head against her chest with her permission and simply dozed. She kept still, continually stroking his hair and tracing light patterns on his back in as soothing a manner as she could muster. They didn’t stir until a few hours later, finally hauling themselves off of the mattress and back into their coats and boots.

Nothing was truly out of the norm until Avi looked out the window. “Um.”

"What’s wrong?" Launa asked, afraid to find out. He motioned her over to the window, and her stomach dropped at the sight that awaited her. The entire area was dusted with white, and fluffy flakes were dropping at a constant pace from the sky. " _Fuck_.”

"Snow," he breathed, glancing around the view the window offered them with the ghost of a smile on his lips, "In Arizona."

She took in a deep breath. “Mother Nature is going through menopause or some shit.” Gods, she hated snow. Just like the cold, it was something she was used to, but it didn’t mean she liked it.  ”Come on,” she urged, flying through the house to quickly stock up on what they needed, “the faster we leave, the better chance we have of avoiding travelling through feet of this crap.” 

______

Launa hated, hated,  _hated_  snow, with a fiery passion. It was cold, useless, was nothing but a hindrance, was already ankle deep and  _god dammit it was getting in her boots_. She kicked angrily at it, sending the light snow flying everywhere in a cloud of white dust. 

He, on the other hand, seemed to be pleased as punch, and the grin she usually found so charming was annoying the ever-living shit out of her. 

"Why are you so damned happy?" she grumped, hitching her bags higher up on her shoulders, glaring as he spun around in a circle, catching snowflakes on his tongue.

"I love winter!" he said simply, almost walking with a bounce in his step, "I love snow!"

She all but gagged. “Why?” she nearly whined the word, “It’s so gross.”

Avi quirked an eyebrow at her. “How the hell is it gross?”

"You’ve gotta shovel the shit to clear your driveway, brush the car off, scrape the windows," she started counting the reasons on her fingers as they walked toward Williams, "and then, when spring rolls around, it melts and you can smell all the dog shit and it gets gross and muddy and just  _ew_.” She looked over to find him staring at her incredulously, and almost pouting. “What? It’s the truth.”

"You’re a bit of a fun sucker, you know that?"

She screwed her face up. “Am not.”

He pushed her in the shoulder. “Fun sucker.”

She hated the guilt that set in. “I’m sorry,” she admitted quietly, though she really just wanted him to stop making that awful, kicked-puppy face at her, “I just grew up with it, so I’m sick of it, you know? I’ll shush.”

Avi shook his head and reached out to run her braid through his hand. “Don’t worry about it,” he said, his face switching to that of a smirk, “It’s understandable.” He cast his green gaze skyward. “California doesn’t get a lot of snow, so I get kind of over-excited about it. Sorry.”

She smiled, sliding her hand into his, lacing their fingers together. “Don’t ever apologize for being excited about something.” She chewed her lip for a moment, debating on whether or not to add her next comment. “It’s cute.”

He whipped his head around, tugging gently on her arm to bring her closer to him, a devilish grin stretching across his lips. “I’m sorry, what?” he asked, leaning over and into her personal space, causing her to lean away with a laugh, “I didn’t hear you- what’d you say?”

"You heard me."

"No," he teased, drawing out the word, "I don’t think I did. Would you mind repeating it?"

Launa threw her free hand up into the air. “It’s cute, okay? You’re cute when you’re excited!” she cried, exasperated, yelping when he yanked on her hand to pull her close, sliding his hand from hers and around her waist and gave her cheek a comical smooch.

"Thank you, darling," Avi said nasally, holding tight when she squirmed in his grip in mock annoyance.

"Ugh, you’re gross."

"No, you think I’m cute."

"You’re never gonna let that go, are you?"

"Nope."

______

The trip to Williams was long, but one that was able to be contained in a single day, and Launa couldn’t help but feel immensely proud at the amount of progress they were making. Until she looked at the map. “I swear to God,” she groaned, ducking under Avi’s arm to stand between him and the map, making him look over her head, “the distance between us and LA isn’t getting any smaller.”

He dropped his head to kiss just below her ear. “We’ll get there,” he murmured, resting his chin on top of her head, “It might take awhile, but we’ll get there.”

She looked up and over her shoulder. “Promise?”

He gave her a warm smile and took her hand, kissing the back of her knuckles swiftly. “I promise.” He grinned at her embarassed squirm.

The moment was cut short as the wind picked up, almost making him lose his grip on the map, whooshing an influx of snow down on the area. Launa looked up in the direction of the wind, grimacing at the blackening clouds overhead. “That’s gonna be a storm. We need to get settled in real quick.”

He nodded in agreement, then folded up the map to stuff it back in his pocket, taking her hand in his own as they quickly dove into the heart of the town, searching for a place to stay for the evening. After searching through the collapsing buildings and dilapidated houses scattered sparsely with bodies, they ended up settling on an old property with a well in its spacious back yard on the edge of town. It had, suprisingly enough, only sustained damage to its front porch and one of the walls, along with the various knick-knacks that had spilled and shattered onto the floor. 

They scurried inside, quickly shutting the door behind them against the oncoming blizzard, covered in snow and frost. “Oh, shit, that’s cold.” Avi swore, rubbing his bare forearms before rolling the sleeves of his brown coat down to his wrists.

"Think winter’s so great, now?" Launa grumbled, earning her his exaggerated frown. "Whoa, there. Haven’t seen that, in awhile."

He gave her an annoyed grunt, shrugging his coat off and hanging it off the door knob. “Winter’s still awesome,” he said, nodding sagely, then added, “You know, when it’s not being a raging bitch.”

"Oh, hon," she sighed, "You are so not gonna survive the north."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	24. Chapter 24

Launa stared forlornly out the window, heaving a heavy sigh.

"No mater how many times you sigh at it," Avi called to her from the closet, "the blizzard isn’t stopping."

He, unfortunately, spoke the truth. The storm had been raging for three days, and showed no signs of stopping. They had tried the cars outside, but his cold-numbed fingers hadn’t been able to work their magic and hotwire the vehicles. Thankfully, there was a store relatively nearby at their disposal, although, it was a bit of a hike in this weather. They weren’t snowed in, not yet, but the cold and the biting winds made it impossible to travel, especially in their thin clothes, and it wasn’t as if they could simply find snow gear in the desert town.

Launa was starting to consider putting all of their cans into the cabinets.  _It’d be easier, if we’re gonna be stuck here. I’m getting sick of having to dig it all out of bags when we have a place to put them._

She peered around the corner of the walk-in closet, curious as to why he was in there, and raised an eyebrow at her partner. “What are you doing?”

Avi didn’t even look over his shoulder as he thumbed through the hangers loaded with clothing. “I’m tired of wearing dirty clothes, all the time,” he said, pulling a black, button-down shirt from its hanger and inspecting it, “Might as well take what fits. Their owner doesn’t need it, anymore.”

She mosied in beside him, glancing over the selection. “Kind of like a GoodWill with no charge. Aha,” she pulled out a bright green, Hawaiian print shirt and held it up to his torso, “perfect.” He batted it away, making a disgusted noise. “What? It’s green- you like green!”

"It’s ugly, is what it is!"

"Don’t be picky!"

"If there’s better stuff available," he said, taking the shirt from her and tossing it onto a shelf where she couldn’t reach, "then I  _will_  be picky."

She rolled her eyes, turning her gaze to what she assumed was the previous owners’ wife’s side of the closet, grimacing. “Why is there so much pink?” They remained quiet for a long while, dismissing several ugly ties, sweater vests, and blouses until Avi broke the silence.

"What the _fuck._ "

"What?"

His eyes wide, he pulled a rather large, leather collar holding it by the very tip of one of the tag that read “PET”. They stared at it, then at each other, bursting into embarrassed giggles as he dropped it, as if it were a spider. “Yikes, okay,” he coughed, “moving on.”  
______

"Better?" she teased him, trying hard not to stare as he buttoned the shirt up, screwed his face up, then undid the top two buttons.

"Clean clothes are definitely better," he said, moving to glance himself over in what was left of the broken, full-length mirror before turning to face her. "Thoughts?"

 _Hello, nurse_. Launa cleared her throat and nodded, trying to look nonchalant and god _damn don’t stare at his collarbone._  “It’s nice,” she said, her voice a little higher than normal, “It’s different.”

Avi squinted at her. “Different good, or different bad?”

"Just different." She shrugged, forcing herself to look away from the view she was getting of his chest and to the selection of clothes left in the closet. "None of this woman’s clothes are going to fit my line-backer shoulders."

"There’s nothing wrong with your shoulders, dear," he teased, leaning on the door frame to the closet, rolling up the sleeves of his new shirt.

"I didn’t say there was anything wrong with them," she corrected him, ignoring how good that shirt looked on him and shoving a garishly pink dress aside in frustration, "they’re just wide." Launa came across some leather corset getup and, blushing, quickly shoved clothes into it to block it from view. 

Avi snorted. “That was eye-catching, maybe you should wear that.”

" _Over my dead body_ ," she hissed, giving up on the female clothing and went in search of t-shirts or sweaters or something on the guy’s side, sighing in relief upon finding  _something_  doable almost immediately.

He just laughed at her reaction. “I was joking,” he said, coming up behind her to kiss her cheek, “I’m not exactly into that.”

Her knee-jerk reaction was to elbow him in the stomach- which is exactly what she did. He went down laughing and wheezing.  
______

Four days into the blizzard, all of their cans had made their way into the cabinets. It was obvious that they weren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

They’d made a game of finding all the stuff the previous owners’ probably never thought would see the light of day. Avi was currently winning with three toys and bottle of blueberry lube. Launa was losing with nothing but the blood rushing to her face and assuming a fetal position on the couch.  
______

Five days in, and Launa, upon the newest discovery of pink, fluffy handcuffs in the bedside drawer and a very realistic-looking toy in the bathroom, stripped the bed of its sheets and jogged in place, flailing to rid the image from her cranium.

Avi was highly amused by her reaction.  
______

Six days of the storm, and boredom was killing them. They were sure they had found every piece of paraphernalia in the house, and Launa was afraid to touch  _anything_.

"If nothing else," Avi offered, leaning his chair in the kitchen on its back legs, "they knew what was fun for them."

She grumbled, trying to erase the mental images of everything they found. “I guess they had to,” she said, peering out the kitchen window at the building snow, “it’s dullsville around here. It’s either sex or drugs to kill the boredom.”

He frowned for a moment, considering her words. “How would you know that?”

"There’s a little, boring town just up the highway from my city," she explained, giving him an exasperated look, "I hate that place. It’s stuck in the fucking 50’s, I swear. It still has Ma and Pop diners."

Upon his prompting, she told him about the family her Great-Grandmother used to housekeep for, the marijuana the brothers grew, and the amount of teenaged pregnancy, underaged drinking and drug-usage there was in the town.

"I never lived there, myself," Launa continued, "but the times I’ve visited have been enough to make me never want to live in a small town,  _ever_. I, honestly, don’t blame them."

Avi nodded. “I probably would lose my mind, a little bit,” he agreed.

She grimaced, gesturing to the house. “That’s probably what happened, here. They got stuck in this tiny-ass place and went nuts.”

"I’m sure they did." He winked comically, giving her a double-gun gesture, and she whapped him with a kitchen towel.   
______

The boredom was the worst part, she thought. A week in, and the storm still hadn’t ceased. Mother Nature was fucking with them, she could feel it, and she found herself flopping like a fish on the couch. “I’m bored,” she whined, “there’s nothing to do.”

Avi sighed, mindlessly watching the snow fall in the window and tugging idly on his earring. “I know,” his hand hit the table he was sitting at with a thud, “I am, too.”

She groaned and readjusted herself to lay with her head on the arm of the couch, stretched out entirely on it. With her eyes closed, hoping to nap the day away, she heard his chair scrape across the linoleum and counted his steps as he approached her-  _four, five six_. She opened her eyes and found him standing beside her, a small smile playing on his lips. “What?” she asked, not bothering to move.

He took her by surprise, slinging a leg over hers to settle his knee between her thighs and one hand by her head, the other sliding to the back of her neck. Launa’s stomach clenched around butterflies, breathing his name as he bent to ghost his lips over hers. “Would you rather I not?” he murmured, only drawing an inch away when her breath hitched.

She shook her head, but remained motionless, otherwise. “I’m just not entirely used to this.” She explained, gesturing between the two of them.

Avi’s smirk nearly stopped her heart. “Let’s get you used to it, then.” Moving to resting his weight on his forearm, he gently pressed a kiss to both corners of her mouth, the softness of his lips a brilliant contrast to the roughness of his beard. She released a quiet sigh, letting her eyes slip shut as she basked in his heat, allowing herself to sink into the warmth that seemed to form whenever he kissed her.

He angled his face against hers, tentatively sweeping his tongue across her bottom lip, which she accepted, sliding her own boldly against his as he lowered himself to lay almost completely against her. The solid weight of him was comforting, and she slid her hand under the hem of his t-shirt, brushing against his warm, smooth skin, his responding smile breaking their kiss. “I think you’re more used to it, than you think,” he purred, kissing down her jaw and to her neck, smirking at the stutter in her breath when he scraped his teeth against it.

Launa let her head fall back and to the side to give him better access, her heart thudding in her chest as his mouth worked at where her neck met her shoulder, shuddering and slipping her other hand to the back of his neck, gripping the deep brown curls, there. He shifted his weight to move to her collarbone, satisfied with the blooming redness on her neck and- they both jumped nearly a foot in the air as the couch cushion beneath them started buzzing.

Avi yanked himself back, meeting her wide-eyed gaze with his own, both confused as to what was making the noise. “Not it!” she cried. He rolled his eyes and, after a moment’s hestitation, dove his hand in between the cushions, his green eyes going wider as he found the source.

"I’m not sure if I should pull this out or not." He said, hand still trapped in the couch.

Launa groaned. “It’s a vibrator, isn’t it?”

He squeezed his eyes shut and grimaced. “Yeah.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	25. Chapter 25

Avi awoke the next morning with a weight on his chest, blinking his eyes open slowly to evaluate where in the hell he was. Launa had been refusing to even touch the mattress, upstairs, and, after the previous night's adventure with the last, hidden, buzzing suprise in the couch, that's exactly where they'd fallen asleep- leaning against the arm of the couch and she laying on him, between his splayed legs. He looked her over, a small smile stretching across his lips as he brushed a stray strand of red hair from her face, pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead. 

He glanced to the window, checking the state of the blizzard. Still no change. He was thankful that, despite the snow and cold winds, the general area was still warm, which didn't give the snow a chance to stick completely. Plenty stuck around, but it wasn't building like Launa said it would.

He allowed himself to stretch his legs, careful not jostle her awake, before settling back into the cushions and resting his chin against her forehead, dozing off into a light sleep.  
______

Launa vaguely remembered surfacing out of unconsciousness once, feeling Avi shift under her briefly and the brush of his hand on her face. She remembered thinking it was the safest she'd felt since before she'd left to visit Colorado. When he stilled, again, she rubbed her face into his shirt before settling her ear against his chest, the soothing steadiness of his heart lulling her back to sleep.  
______

The next couple of days passed without incident anything noteworthy. They simply existed in boredom, utilizing the non-electric grill on the back porch to heat their meals and not a single thing to distract them. Until their tenth day into the blizzard. Avi suddenly stiffened in his seat at the kitchen table. "What's wrong?" She asked, worry etching into her face as she reached for his hand.

"What day is it?" he mumbled the question, staring at nothing in particular as he awaited her answer.

Launa quickly crossed to one of her bags, digging for the little notebook she'd kept, marking down the dates and events that had taken place. "Um," she flipped through the pages, landing on the current date, "December 18th." She looked over her shoulder at him, watching his shoulders slump. "Avi?" When he didn't say anything, she dug through what she knew of the calendar, rifling through holidays-  _oh_. 

_I didn't get him home in time to spend Hannukah with his family._

She approached him quietly, gingerly placing a hand on his shoulder. "Is there anything I can do?" she asked, "I mean, I don't really know anything about it, but I could try-"

"No," Avi cut her off, giving her a sad smile and taking her hand in his, "No, I, uh. I'd rather if you didn't, actually. I'm sorry."

She shook her head, squeezing his hand. "It's okay- I understand." She pressed a swift kiss to his temple. "Want me to leave you alone?"

"If you don't mind?" he answered slowly, "Just a couple of minutes."

Launa assured him it was no problem, and quickly retreated upstairs, casting him another glance before climbing the staircase. He looked miserable. She wished she could fix it.  
______

He was quiet the rest of the day, staring off into space, giving her one-word answers. She had given him his space, but refused to sit in silence like he was. She paced around the house, thinking of something to do and running her fingers over his arm or through his hair, just to let him know she wasn't ignoring him.  _I'm here. I'm here if you want to talk, or rant, or anything. I'm here._

Launa went upstairs, grimacing at her reflection. Lord, she looked and felt gross. And then she remembered the well out back. She quickly found something to plug the drain in the tub and bounded down the stairs, nearly tripping halfway down and catching herself on the railing with a startled yelp. She made her way to her jacket, slipping it and her scarf on before squeezing Avi's shoulder as she passed, sprinting out the door.

She hauled the bucket out of the well, her fingers numbing in the icy winds. "Launa?" She whipped her head around to look over her shoulder, just as the bucket reached the top. Avi was standing at the back door, arms crossed to guard against the blizzard. "What are you doing?"

"I'm taking a bath," she called back, heaving the bucket off it's rope and into the house, both annoyed and thankful that it was bigger than she expected, "there's a tub upstairs and I'm using it."

"You know that's going to be freezing, right?" He followed her upstairs, watching as she dumped its contents into the bath tub.

Launa shrugged, turning to find him much closer than expected. "Yeah, but I'm gonna let it sit and get to room temperature." It wasn't a bad plan, she had to admit. And after a moment or two, Avi offered to help her, pulling on his coat and grabbing a spare bucket they found nearby, filling his while she hauled hers up the stairs.

"I call it, next," he called, chuckling. She agreed, more than a little relieved to hear him laugh.  
______

Launa heaved a sigh of relief, running her fingers through her clean-  _finally clean_ \- hair, reveling in the way it felt as though her skin could actually breathe. Even after waiting several hours for the water to warm- even heating some of it up in a large pot on the tiny grill- it had been cold, but completely worth it.

She sat on the bed, toweling her long hair as she waited for Avi to emerge from his turn in the bathroom- they'd drained hers and hauled up more water for him.  _Thank ye Gods for working plumbing_. She stood and looked herself over in the broken mirror from a distance. She was thinner than she remembered seeing back in Many Farms, though she was impressed by the muscle she'd built in her arms from towing their supplies. She blushed upon spotting the mark that he'd left on her neck, and wondered if her bite was still present on him.  _He probably heals fast, the bastard._

A cry of relief announced Avi's emergence from the bathroom. "I can actually feel my face," he said, stepping in her direction from the hallway and ruffling his hair with a towel.

"Found the shaving cream, did ya?"

"Oh, yes." He gave her a wide grin as she turned to look at him, pleasantly surprised to find him with a far closer-trimmed beard than she'd seen before.  _And just his pants on_. Launa tried to not stare as he moved around the room, pacing as he squeezed water from his hair- Gods, she did try, but found herself watching a drop of water roll down his neck, over the faint remnant of redness of her bite on his collarbone, and-  _hiho, when was chest hair attractive?_  She suddenly wished she were still five and grossed out by it.

Avi moved to the mirror, meeting her gaze in it, smirking. "Glad I can be of entertainment," he teased, running a hand through his damp curls, flicking his eyes briefly over his own face to check his shave job, "You look good, too."

She visibly recoiled and drew her shoulders up around her ears, suddenly and painfully aware that she was just in her jeans and sleeveless shirt. She waved him off with a disgusted noise. "Whatever," Launa grumbled, turning her back to him, forcing herself to look away, "I thought you were moping?"

"What," he said, the bed dipping under his weight as he sat next to her, "you thought I'd be sad, forever? Yes, I'm upset I can't spend the holidays with my family, and I'm disappointed that I won't get you home in time, either. But, given the circumstances, spending it with you is the next best thing."

She snorted, not sure if she should be flattered or insulted, and looked at him over her shoulder. "So, even if everything was normal and we'd just, I dunno,  _met_ \- I'd still just be an alternative?"

Avi sighed and, after setting his towel at the foot of the bed, slid an arm around her waist. "No," he kissed her shoulder, "I'm saying that, considering that neither of us are where we would be, ideally, for the holidays, I'm still happy with the situation." She turned to see him better, his lips brushing against her skin and smiling up at her through his eyelashes. "I'm happy that I get to spend them with you."

Launa turned away, snapping her head around sharply and bit her lip. She would not cry, dammit, even out of happiness.  _Come **on** , we don't do this kind of shit_. A smile made its way to her face, instead. "You're a sap," she sighed.

She could feel his smile on her skin. "Maybe a little." He kissed a line up her shoulder to the back of her neck, sliding her damp hair out of his way and grinning at her poorly suppressed shiver. "Maybe you like it."

She grumbled. "Maybe I don't."

"I think," Avi breathed, kissing the corner of her jaw, "that you might be a liar." She bit down a whine. He was hovering just behind her- she could feel the heat coming off of him- but the bare amount of contact he was teasing her with was _insufferable_. 

"You know," Launa coughed, trying desperately to beat back the urge to pin him down and do what she liked, "I, uh-" 

"Yes?" he rumbled, ghosting a finger down her spine and she jerked.

She grappled for words, her entire vocabulary crashing down around her ears. "This is, uh," she swallowed hard as his fingers brushed under her shirt and against her lower back, "you're making thinking  _extremely_  difficult, I hope you know." He only chuckled in response, and his teeth were suddenly on her neck. "Ugh, I hate you."

"No, you don't." Avi mumured, inhaling deeply as he ran his tongue over the bite, soothing it and running his hands down her sides to rest on her hips, his thumbs tracing circles on her lower back.

Launa turned in her seat to firmly slash her lips across his, her hand sliding up his neck and into his hair, relishing in the little hiss he gave as she tugged gently and caught his bottom lip between her teeth. Feeling bold, she got up onto her knees and slung a leg over his, settling comfortably in his lap as he slipped his tongue along her teeth, both of his hands going to her hips to pull her closer.

She shivered hard, running her hands down his chest, her skin practically singing at the contact with his and the width of his hips between her legs feeling just  _perfect_  and a sudden, almost teenaged giddiness overcame her as she shifted in his lap and he whimpered quietly into her mouth. "You okay?" she murmured against his lips, breaking the kiss and feeling his heart thudding rapidly under her fingers. 

Avi nodded, squeezing her hips tight for a moment before running the backs of his fingers up her torso and over her breast, his eyes trained on her face to watch her reaction. Her breath hitched and she leaned her forehead against his as he cupped her through her shirt, thumbing over her and capturing her lips, again.

_You know you need to stop, right? You can't go any further than this. You don't have anything to keep from getting knocked up and you **definitely**  don't want that, especially out here.  **Stop.**_

A coldness swept through her, and she groaned in disappointment, even as her body protested, not wanting to separate from his. Launa pulled out the kiss, and her heart nearly broke at his sigh as he settled both hands back to her hips. "We're not going to actually be able to do this," he murmured, opening his eyes to look directly in hers, "are we?"

Launa moved her hands to cradle his face and planted a lingering, close-mouthed kiss on his lips, her thumbs sliding along the scruff on his jaw. "No," she sighed, "Not until we have access to, uh..."  _You are a grown woman, Launa. It's okay to say 'condoms'_. She mentally batted the thought away. He knows what I mean.

And thank goodness, she was right. Avi nodded slowly, closing his eyes. "Okay, well," he coughed, "you need to get off, then."

She groaned, but knew he was right and moved to sit next him, breaking every point of contact they had. One second, she was pressed completely against him, soaking in his heat and reveling in the feel of his skin on hers. The next, and she felt as cold as the blizzard, outside. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, dropping her head into her hands.

"Please don't be," he replied, squeezing her shoulder, "it's the best decision."

Launa lifted her head and smiled sheepishly. "Well, yeah, I know," she patted his thigh, "I meant the blue balls." He just laughed and shook his head. 

 _Bless his heart for being so cool about all of this_ , she thought, watching him flop backwards onto the bed and run his hands hard over his face,  _It's good to know he's not a douche who expects things from me._  

She resisted the urge to kiss him in thanks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	26. Chapter 26

The moment she woke up, she checked the window. The storm still hadn't calmed. She groaned and pressed her face into the pillow. She'd bitten the bullet and gave in to sleeping on the bed, and it was probably one of her better decisions because  _wow this is a nice bed_. Launa smiled to herself as Avi's sleepy grip tightened around her waist, keeping her back pressed against his torso.  _The company ain't so bad, either._

She quickly ran over the conversation they'd had, the previous night. They'd agreed that, given that both of them had a stupidly high sex drive, there'd be no more of this making out nonsense, and that hands wouldn't wander, when they were, well, like this. Launa draped her arm over his, sliding her fingers into the spaces between his. She had considered trying to ask him not to do this, but she knew better: she was a cuddler, as much as she hated to admit it, and she would have ended up doing it in her sleep, anyway.

The redhead sighed inaudibly, closing her eyes and let herself drift off, again. A week and a half, she thought, cursing the blizzard.  _A week and a half of this bullshit. Nothing to do except wait it out and hope we don't run out of food_. She could feel the restlessness settling into her bones.  
______

Avi woke her with a kiss on her cheek. She yawned loud and nearly smacked him in the nose with her stretch. "Good morning to you, too," he greeted, grinning crookedly at her.

She just grunted in response. "I thought you hated mornings."

"I can sometimes make an exception."

They laid in silence for a long while, slowly waking up and dreading the day of nothing to do. Launa rolled over to rest her head on his still-bare shoulder, flopping an arm across his stomach and snorting at the wheeze he choked out. "Sorry."

"No, you're not."

"No, I'm not." Launa grinned evilly at him. He flipped himself over, startling her and pinning her beneath him and kissed her, long and slow, a hand going to her waist until she stopped him. "Dangerous territory, Kaplan," she mumbled, catching his wrist in her hand.

Avi nodded, sighing, and all but fell to the side, half-laying on her and apologizing. "This is going to be difficult."

She grumbled her agreement.  _With, literally, nothing else to do or distract us, fuck yeah, it's gonna be difficult. We're not even going anywhere. We're just... existing._

She hated waiting.  
______

Without feeling much in the way of hunger or any desire to move, Launa and Avi didn't leave the bedroom any real length of time, findng that their best relief from boredom, that didn't have any dire consequences, was conversation.

"Biking accident," Launa said, rolling her pant leg up to reveal a wide, silvery-pink scar on her right thigh, "I was ten." She rolled it back down, settling her leg straight on the mattress. She was sitting up, leaning back on her hands and one leg partially dangling off the bed with Avi resting his head on her other thigh, still not having bothered to replace his shirt.  _Not that you mind the view._

**_Fucking hell, stop that._ **

He half sat up and combed some hair forward, brushing his finger across a white scar arcing across the back of his head. "Horse-riding accident. I was..," he pondered for a moment, "..eight, I think. I got thrown off and knocked out, cold. I don't remember much."

"After getting a knock on the head? That's shocking!" she teased, earning a push in the shoulder for her sarcasm. He chewed on his bottom lip for a moment and ran a hand through his hair, pausing to tug on his earring. The little, black ring grabbed her attention, and she reached out to touch it gingerly, tucking a curl behind his ear, while she was at it. "What made you get this?"

Avi shrugged. "I just wanted it," he said, turning his head slightly to allow her better access to it, "it doesn't really draw any attention, but it's kind of nice to have it."

_Don't say it don't say it don't say it **do not say it**_

"It's cute," the word tumbled out before she could stop it, immediately cringing as his eyebrows shot up.

"It's cute?" he repeated, smirking at her.

Flustered, Launa stumbled over her words. "I mean, uh," she spluttered, averting her eyes away, looking at anything but him, "in a guy way, it's a dude-cute, or, uh, I'm gonna shut up, now, I'm just making it worse." She fell into silence, covering her eyes with one hand.

He laughed low under his breath, linking his fingers over his stomach. "Thanks," he murmured, just loud enough so to be heard, his voice rumbling against her leg, "You're dude-cute, too."

She groaned and shoved him the shoulder. "Don't make it worse!"  
______

"Does it snow like this, back home?" Avi asked her, laying on his back with his knees propped up and her head on his stomach, her long, wavy hair draped across him.

Launa turned to look at him, giving him a deadpan stare. "You're kidding, right?" He just blinked owlishly at her. "Yeah, it gets pretty bad, sometimes, especially the third or fourth snowfall," she thought for a moment, "I've never seen a storm last this long, though."

He nodded, stowing away the information, and they carried on aimless conversation, talking about everything and nothing. From their favorite smells- his was his Mother's tea, hers was the roses she and her family grew- to their best subjects in school, and everything in between. After growing comfortably quiet, Avi suggested something strange.

"Do you ever think we should just give up?"

She almost jumped, completely shocked at his question. "What?" She turned on to her side, pressing her cheek against his stomach.

He licked over his lips, searching for the correct words. "I'm not saying that we should simply lie down and die," he explained, moving his hand to thread through her hair, the other acting as a pillow, "but, the blizzard doesn't seem keen to let us leave. What if we were to just... stay?"

She frowned at him, sick to her stomach with the notion of giving up, and yet she couldn't completely dismiss the idea. What if they never did make their way back to the coast? What if another storm buried them in their travels? What if another earthquake swallowed them whole? What if they could simply remain and exist here, and learn to live as well as they could?

Where was the harm in giving in?

Tears pricked the corner of her eyes, and Launa shook her head. "As appealing as it is," she said, sitting up and sniffing, "and trust me, the idea of it sounds pretty good, I don't think I could ever stop fighting. I miss my family. I miss what friends I have. I miss my home. And the tiniest glimmer that I might see them again is enough to keep me moving, as soon as I'm able."

Avi slowly slid his eyes over her face, a small, half-smile slipping onto his lips. "I know," he breathed, cupping her face in his hand, "Me, too. I couldn't let the chance of seeing them, again, slip away." He took a deep breath. "I've just been tossing the thought around for a couple of days. I didn't mean to upset you."

She shook her head again, inhaling shakily. "Don't-," she paused to swallow hard, "Please don't ever think about giving up, Avi."

He sat up, nodding, and wound his arms around her, bringing her in close and kissed her forehead. "I promise. Just so long as you do." Her agreement was muffled in his shoulder and fell completely silent.

The only sound was that of the winds beginning to die down, outside, and the muteness of the snowfall in the desert. The storm was finally coming to an end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! Due to the fact that I'm falling seriously behind in my backstock of chapters and I have giveaway stuff to knit, as well as a new job coming up, I need to decrease my posting frequency. Not too much, though- it's just going to be every other day. I'm so sorry! Thank you so much for reading, as always! I love each and every one of you! ♥


	27. Chapter 27

"I see you," Launa growled out the window, as if to threaten the snow, "I see you, and you’re slowing down." The change in the blizzard’s pace had not gone unnoticed by either traveller, and now that it looked as though it would stop, they could hardly sit still.  _We’ve been here for way too long. Time to move on._

Avi located loose sweaters for the both of them to wear under their coats once the left, and she had to physically hold herself from shoving the cans into the bags. “Maybe we’re doing this prematurely?” he wondered aloud, watching her peer into the cabinets for the third time in the last hour, “it could pick back up, again.”

She shushed him vehemently and frantically knocked thrice on the wooden cabinet door. “Are you fucking crazy?” she cried, giving him an incredulous glare, “don’t say shit like that!”

He apologized, trying hard not to laugh at her way of warding off bad luck and jinxes, as he buttoned up the shirt he’d settled on leaving the house with. “My point is,” he said slowly, choosing his words carefully, “the storm isn’t over. You don’t need to rush.”

"Hey, as soon as it gets down to a light flurry, we’re haulin’ ass outta here." Launa yanked on a light sweater over her undershirt, shivering at the cold that permeated the room. It felt as though there were a draft, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to care.  _So long as it doesn’t freeze us before we leave, we’re good._

She paced the house, trying find something to distract herself from watching the window. But, of course, there was nothing, just as there had been for the past week and a half. The only thing in the house with her that was of any interest to her, at all, was Avi, who seemed quite content to simply sit on the couch. She sighed for what felt like the millionth time in five minutes, and picked up the speed of her pacing through the living room.

Her walking was suddenly ceased as Avi grabbed her by the shoulders, eliciting a surprised yelp from her as he sat her down on the couch and, much to her shock, sat sideways on her lap, fixing her with an unamused stare as he crossed his arms. “Can I help you?” she asked, unsure of whether to find this funny or be annoyed at his pinning method.

He screwed his face up, rolling his eyes up and giving her the dopiest smile she’d ever seen. “I want a pony!” he said in the highest voice he could muster- which was surprisingly high, considering his natural pitch, and threw an arm around her shoulders, “And, and, and I want a purse like mommy has and a pair of new skates and a doggy, and-“

"Oh, god, stop," Launa pleaded, laughing, her head falling forward onto his chest as she wrapped an arm around his back to keep him from falling, "what the hell is wrong with you?"

He shook her gently by her shoulders, eyes wide with exasperation. “ _Stop pacing_ ,” he said, voice back to its normal, deep pitch, “we will get out of here, but acting like a trapped animal isn’t going to make it go faster.”

She groaned, rolling her head back. “I know, I know,” she sighed, “I’m just bored and I want out of here.”

"Me, too," Avi agreed, replacing his arm on her shoulders, "We don’t have much choice, though. We have to wait."

"I hate waiting."

"I know."

_You hate doing things slow, too._

Launa grumbled and shook the thought away.  _Now, there was no reason for that. I know we’ve done things too fast, but- I can’t really care._

"I’m probably crushing you," he mumbled, drawing her from her thoughts, moving to remove himself from her lap.

"You’re fine, actually," she said, setting a hand on his thigh, "your ass ain’t that heavy."

Avi gave her a funny look, half-smiling. “I thought you said I was a ‘heavy son of a bitch’?” he reminded her from when she pulled him from the pit, settling back down in her lap.

"That was when I was actually trying to move your whole self," she corrected, absent-mindedly running her fingers on the seam of his jeans along his inner thigh, "so, you’re only heavy, then. Otherwise you’re fine."

He held her gaze for a moment, then fluttered his eyes shut, letting out a heavy breath. “Your hand, Launa.”

She blinked, confused for a moment as she checked the arm supporting his back, and then realized she’d snaked her hand up his leg and was in a potentially dangerous area. She swore and retracted her hand. “Sorry, sorry!”

He just shook his head and kissed her cheek. “It’s alright,” he assured her, “but, I’m getting off, now.”

_Don’t say it. **Don’t say it.**_

_I’m gonna say it._

A purely evil smirk stretched onto her lips. “Yeah, I’ll bet you are.”

The scandalized look on Avi’s face as he scrambled off her lap was priceless.  
______

The storm, although not quite as fierce as it had been, was still refusing to slow completely and allow them to leave. It was still far too cold to be outside for an extended period of time, even to run and grab more cans from the nearby store, and sometimes, even to cook dinner on the little grill.

Avi had taken up residence in the middle of the living room floor, laying in a straight line with his hands resting on his stomach. “I would kill for a burger,” he groaned, “A burger and fries. That’s all I really want, right now. ” His partner hummed her agreement, glaring out of the window at the weather. “You’re like a nosy old woman. Stop it.”

The redhead turned her glare on him. “I’m not an old woman!” she insisted, but didn’t budge from her spot by the window, “and how am I nosy? It’s not like there’s anyone to spy on.”

"You look like one of those old ladies that just stare out their windows to watch everyone."

Launa snorted. “Like my Grandmother.”

His lips twisted into a crooked smile. “I guess it just comes with the territory of getting older.”

There was a long pause. “I never could imagine myself getting old,” she admitted quietly, “and not because of, y’know, ‘you’re young yidda yadda, of course you can’t imagine it’. I just never could imagine getting there.”

Avi propped himself up on his elbows to study her. She remained by the window, idly scratching at the frame of it. “How come?” he asked, genuinely curious.

She shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I always thought I’d go young.” Looking over her shoulder at him, he beckoned her over quietly, and she moved to stand over him, her feet on either side of his hips.

"Well, I didn’t mean that," he said, and she laughed, readjusting to sit beside him, her knee brushing his side as she crossed her legs.

"Have you ever thought about it?" she inquired, trying to sound nonchalant.

"About what? How I would die?" Upon Launa’s shrug, he sighed and laid back down, using on hand as a pillow. "I always thought it’d be how everyone wants to go, you know? Old and grey, and probably finally bald," he laughed dryly, "Surrounded by the people who love you. My kids, and hopefully some grandkids, by then."

Launa laid on her side, propping her head up with her hand, and watched him intently as he spoke. “You want kids, then?”

He smiled softly. “Yeah,” he breathed, “one or two. Someday.”

_Please don’t ask, please don’t ask me-_

"What about you?"

She bit back an annoyed grunt, shaking her head. “Nope,” she answered quickly, “I don’t ever want kids. Maybe adoption when I’m older and have a steady life, but, generally, the answer is no.”

She didn’t look him in the eye as he turned to glance her over.  _Oh, Gods, please don’t hate me for my answer. I know it’s weird and not what most people expect_. His response surprised her. “Can I ask why?” He squinted a little at her face, trying to find the answer, there.

Launa took in a steadying breath. “I just don’t want to. I’m not exactly a caregiver.”

_Please don’t hate me._

"You take care of me," he said, dismissing her snort, "No, you do. And you do pretty alright, to be honest."

"So, you don’t hate me?" she asked slowly, after a long pause, "A lot of people do when they ask me that and they tend to leave and write me off as some bitch-"

He cut off her words, kissing her softly and effectively shutting her up. It was short and sweet, but it did the trick of stealing her voice, and Avi linked his fingers with hers and his responding, crooked smile was one of the most beautiful things she’d seen. “I don’t hate you.” He brought her hand up and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

Launa, as flustered and girlish-feeling as she was, was relieved when he changed the subject. “So, you think you’ll die young,” he said, his hand still grasping hers, “Why?”

"Because," she started slowly, "I want to travel, and it’s not exactly the safest thing in the world. You never know what could happen. I always figured I’d die doing something adventurously stupid and in a foreign country."

He nodded, keeping his gaze fixed on her face. “Travel?” he repeated, grinning, “even after all this?” Her laugh stuttered, even as she agreed. “Alrighty, then. Where to?”

She sighed, smiling wide. “I’d love to go to Europe, see Ireland and London. Visit Baker Street and all that. See Japan, Egypt..”

"Egypt’s pretty dangerous," Avi warned, a smirk finding its way to his mouth, "you’d need somebody to watch your back."

"What," she asked, "you want to come with?"

He considered it for a moment, chewing on his bottom lip. “Yeah, I actually would like that,” he replied, then added, after a moment, looking excited, “So long as we make a stop in Israel.”

Launa smiled wide and kissed his cheek. “Deal.”  
______

She was half-awoken by the sensation of weightlessness, and realized that she was being carried. She turned her face into Avi’s chest as he carried her upstairs to bed, and breathed him in, smelling distinctly of something smooth and warm. Setting her down carefully on the mattress, he joined her not a moment later, tucking her head under his chin and pulling the covers over the both of them.

Launa wound her arms around his waist automatically, settling in comfortably against him. “Has it stopped snowing?” she slurred sleepily.

"Not yet," he whispered, stroking her hair, "Go back to sleep."

She did as she was told, contentedly listening to him breathe and thinking that, although, she wanted the snow to stop, she never wanted to move from that spot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥


	28. Chapter 28

Avi was jolted from his slumber by a loud, excited whoop. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes and grumbling. Launa bounced onto the bed and half on him, holding her screech of excitement behind clenched teeth and a wide smile. "What the hell," he groaned, voice thick with sleep as the young woman flailed about, "what's going on?"

She laid directly on him, resting her chin on his chest and squeezed him tight around his middle. " _It stopped snowing!_ "

He couldn't recall a time he'd ever gotten out of bed faster.  
______

They moved quicker than ever before, the week and a half rest having rejuvenated them, despite the boredom. They shoved all of their cans and many of the remaining stock of the house into their bags, but still had plenty of room for more. "Should we run to the store before we go?" Launa asked, quickly braiding her hair to keep it out of the way.

"To the store" Avi agreed, heaving his bags up onto his shoulders, "Oh, shit. I almost forgot how heavy these are."

They packed a change of clothes and, as they made their way to the front door, paused briefly to thank the previous owners for their hospitality. "And thanks for the entertainment." he said, elbowing her teasingly in her side.

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, okay, you call it 'entertainment'. I call it 'traumatizing'."

"It wasn't that bad."

"All the sex toys were definitely that bad."

Avi sighed and patted her shoulder as they stepped across the threshold to the outside, casting a parting glance to the house. "So long," he murmured, running a hand along the door frame, "thanks for holding up on us." After he hopped off the porch into the shin-deep snow, Launa mimicked his farewell and quickly followed, grumbling as the snow hit her at the knees.  
______

Their journey to the store was a swift one. Even though the building was falling apart, they were able to wiggle their way inside, and Launa made it just a little further than her partner. She tossed cans and bottled water to him over debris and rolled it on the floor to him, and, through sheer luck, found a little tent that could fit the both of them and shield them from the weather, only coming back when he called that they had no more room for more supplies.

Avi 'tsked' as she returned and he wiped his thumb over her cheek. "We haven't been out for even an hour," he scolded jokingly, "and you're already dirty."

_Don't say it._

"I've always been dirty." Launa smirked as his eyebrows shot up and his mouth fell open, slightly.

He squinted suspiciously at her, half-smiling as he picked up his bags. "Are you cracking more dirty jokes at me?"

"Maybe." She had to stop herself from saying or doing anything more.  _Wow, so the hormones are still outta control. Fabulous._  Certain that the moment was over, she lifted her own bags, and nearly dropped them with a surprised squeak as Avi pinched her ass. She chased him out of the store, shouting obscenities, but couldn't stop from smiling. _I'll get him back for that._  
______

Even through the deep snow, it wasn't difficult to find the highway that ran through Williams, and they stepped onto it, relieved to feel the familiar concrete beneath their feet. "Alright," Avi pulled the quickly-wearing-out map from his coat pocket and unfolded it, "there's no town for a little while, but the next viable stop is a reservoir."

"Might be good to stock up on water," Launa said, pushing him gently when his distraction to the map had his steering off and started stepping into her path.

"It'll be a bit of a walk," he warned, folding the map back up and stuffing it into his pocket, casting a smirk to her, "think we can handle it?"

She grinned as he laced his fingers with hers, squeezing her hand. "I think we might be able to wing it." She watched him open his mouth to say something, then snap it shut, again. "What?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. I was going to say something, but it was dumb." He smiled and lifted her hand to kiss the back of it, distracting her. "Let's get out of this town."  
______

The trip was relatively easy, but slow. They made the occasional stop for one to lean on the other while they shook the snow out of their boots, and once to retrieve Avi's knife when the cloth came undone from his thigh.

By the time night fell, Launa was glad to help set up their measly tent. The snow had made their steps sluggish, which was almost as bad as the sand. "At least we're actually moving," the young man reminded her, holding the tent flap open for her. She sighed, annoyed, but agreed. She'd rather be making progress than sitting still.

While in the store, Launa had come across a handful of boxed meals that were 'self-heating', according to the front of the box. After futzing with the instructions, she yanked on the string that peeked out and both of their jaws dropped as they heard the chemical reaction, inside, heating the spaghetti. "Dude," she laughed, "I feel like a caveman discovering fire." He coughed a laugh, shifting in his seat to a more comfortable position.

The tent was tiny and cramped, leaving just enough room for them and their bags. She was immensely glad that they were so comfortable with each other, making the close quarters far less awkward. They ate their dinner in relative silence before settling down for the night. She laid with her back to him, trying not to shiver from the cold seeping through the floor of the tent.

"Hey." Avi tapped her shoulder and gently rolled her over to giver a chaste, good night kiss, drawing away only to be pulled back against her, her arms snaking around his neck and shoulders as she molded her lips to his. He lowered himself onto one elbow by her head, his free hand cradling her cheek. Her fingers twisted into his deep brown curls, inhaling sharply as he gently tugged her bottom lip between his teeth, kneading it and smirking at the whimper that he elicited.

Feeling as though he'd set her on fire, Launa slid one hand down his torso and under the hem of his shirt, her fingers brushing over his hipbone. He abruptly broke the kiss, breathing heavily, and reached down to grasp her hand, shaking his head. "You know we can't," he murmured against her lips. She gave a shuddering sigh, and, feeling rebellious, swiftly slipped her other hand under his shirt and ran her nails, hard, down his back, watching, entranced, as he gasped and arched his back. " _Fuck_ ," he hissed, and she resisted the temptation to pinch his rear in revenge. The expression he then fixed her with was somewhere between angry and seductive.

_It pretty much all looks the same to me._

"When I am able," Avi growled into her ear, grabbing both of her wrists and pinning them on either side of her head, "you are in so much trouble."

She wiggled under him, an evil grin on her face. "Oh, am I?" she teased, her laugh choked off as he scraped his teeth over her neck.

"Oh, yes." he breathed, nipping at the sensitive skin. Then, just as suddenly as it had started, Avi pulled away, releasing her wrists and falling to lay beside her, inhaling deeply to steady himself.

Launa laid on her back, staring at the low ceiling of the tent, positively  _burning_  with the need to touch him again, swallowing hard and clenching her fists to curb the urge. "How the hell are we going to manage this?"

"What," he laughed, the sound almost hollow, "this entirely easy task of making it to LA without ripping each other apart?" He turned onto his side to face her, using his elbow as a pillow. "I honestly don't know."

_And it's not like we can blame the boredom, this time. Both of us are tired from today, and **still**..._

She wasn't sure of what to say in response and simply kissed him good night before rolling to face away from him. After a moment's pondering, she scooted back to be flush against his chest, and he squirmed a little bit. "Uh," he wormed away from her, "that might not be a good idea."

"I don't care about your boner, Avriel," Launa grumbled, ignoring the way her hormones were practically screaming 'gimme' at her, "I won't be uncomfortable, but if you'd rather not lay so close, then, that's cool, too."

Her partner remained motionless for a long moment, then moved to lay completely pressed against her, his arms wound around her waist and his knees tucked against the backs of hers. She stayed awake, her fingers linked with his, listening for his quiet snore to signal his falling asleep before allowing herself to follow suit, soaking up his heat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥


	29. Chapter 29

The next morning, the cold was slowly dissipating, but the snow seemed determined to stick around. Launa begrudgingly trudged out into it, helping Avi take the tent down. Until he got distracted by the snow. "I want to build a snowman," he said, suddenly, bending to test the snow's density and trying to pack it into a ball. She watched, half-amused and half-heartbroken over his disappointment as his face fell, the snowball crumbling into white dust.

"It's too dry," she told him, folding the tent down into something manageable, "You need wet snow to make a snowball, let alone a snowman."

Avi sighed heavily, and she couldn't help but laugh at how exaggeratedly sad he looked as he dropped the handful of snow and brushed his hands off on his pants. "Alright," he grumbled, retrieving his bags from the snow, getting ready to set off down the road.  
______

The trip to the next town down the road took several days and several stops. The snow slowed their pace exponentially, and both were frustrated at the near lack of progress. Avi huffed at the map, glancing around them to ensure that he could pinpoint where they were. "This is ridiculous," he grumbled, as if the map were to blame for their pace, "if it weren't for the snow, we'd be there, already."

Launa sighed as she listened to him rant under his breath. "Come on, beardy," she tugged on his sleeve, "we've still got a little bit of light left. Let's keep moving."

He conceded, stuffing the offending map away and squeezed her hand briefly before falling into step beside her. As night fell, they picked up the pace as much as they could, not wanting to spend another night in the tent. And, as if something were listening, a stop for truck drivers came within view, and they scrambled into the small building. It wasn't anything resembling a living space, but it was shelter.

She shivered hard and gestured for him to turn away as she slipped off her jeans. "I am sick to death of having wet pants." She could practically the gears turning in Avi's head as he opened his mouth to crack a dirty joke. "Don't even say it." She jabbed a finger at him almost violently. He snickered as she pulled on dry pants.   
______

The building was cold but, thankfully, empty, with not a corpse to be found. They pushed all of the chairs together, forming something of a bed and sat in the dead silence, eating their dinner and listened to the cold wind blow by, outside.  _Please don't be another blizzard_ , Launa pleaded silently, allowing herself to be pulled tight against Avi's side and sharing his warmth as she jotted down the date and day's events in her little notebook. 

She stopped short and reread the date. December 24th. Christmas Eve.

Avi shifted to peer at her page, pausing before hugging her tighter. "Merry Christmas," he whispered.

"Happy Hannukah." She laughed hollowly, fighting back the tears she hadn't expected. She suddenly understood Avi's earlier sorrow. _I miss my Mom_. They remained motionless for a while, Launa swallowing hard to avoid crying, until he pulled her into his lap, earning him a disgruntled, annoyed sound. Avi just shushed her, stroking her hair and back as she let herself lean heavily against him.

He dug in his pocket for a moment and squeezed her shoulder. "Close your eyes," he instructed gently. She did as she was told, and felt him clasp something around her neck. "Okay. Open them."

She opened her eyes, finding her companion smiling sheepishly, and she glanced down to inspect what he'd put on her: a necklace. It was a thin, silver chain with a tiny, matching pendant inlaid with a deep red stone. "I found it," Avi explained, watching her examine it with a smile, "And it might be weird, because it used to be someone else's, but...I thought it suited you." He bit his lip for a moment, giving her a small smile. "Happy holidays."

"Ugh, Avi," Launa scolded him, "I didn't do anything for you!"

He shook his head. "I didn't do it with the intention of getting something in return," he stated simply, "I did it because I care about you. I wanted you to have it."

Launa held the pendant between her thumb and forefinger, inspecting it closely in an attempt to ignore the rush of warmth that struck her chest at his words. "It's garnet," she murmured, "I think it's native to this region."

_Shouldn't you feel weird that it was someone else's?_

_Well, no. It's not like it's from an ex-girlfriend of his. **That**  would be awkward and unacceptable._

_What the hell? We've been picking up shit off the ground for years. How long have we been wearing lost jewelry?_

Her face split into a smile and cupped his jaw in her hand, planting a slow kiss on his lips. "Thank you," she murmured as she pulled away, her fingers trailing down his neck to rest on his shoulder, "but really, I feel like I need to give you something."

Avi shook his head once more, readjusting his grip on her back to bring her impossibly closer. "Nope," he said, his voice firm, "no obligations during the holidays."

She snorted. "That's a lie."

"Okay, so there _is_  obligation to spend time with family you don't get along with, but...," he trailed off as she dissolved into laughter, quickly joining in as the sound infected him.

It was not the holiday season either of them would have ever wanted or even imagined. But, Launa smiled wide all the same, falling onto his shoulder as they laid down, fidgeting endlessly with her new pendant, and Avi laughed low in his chest as they traded stories about their families during the holidays. The hollow ache of missing them was prevalent, but their company eased it. _It could be so much worse_ , she reminded herself, curling against him and throwing a leg over his hip as he hugged her close and kissed her good night, his words slurred with half-consciousness.

They drifted off quickly, the muteness of the falling snow, outside, cutting them off from the rest of the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥


	30. Chapter 30

The next morning came far too soon Launa's liking. Sunlight filtered in through the dingy windows and into her eyes, making her turn over in Avi's grip to face him, shifting sleepily and edging her knee between his. A sharp groan of pain woke her completely as her leg was pushed away and her partner curled in on himself.

"Are you okay?" she slurred, her speech functions not yet entirely online.

He gave her a pained glare. "You've got to stop waking me up with things like this," he wheezed, "Unless I piss you off, those are not to be violent with."

Launa laughed, embarrassed, and apologized profusely for kneeing him in the balls.  
______

They set off from the truck stop in a hurry, grumbling at the increase of snow. Funnily enough, Avi didn't seem quite as enthused about the snow as he had been, before.

Just as it had been the previous two days, the trek was slow-going, the snow sticking to their boots and pant legs, blowing into their faces when an enthusiastic wind kicked up, leaving them with numbed fingers, noses, and ears.

The sun was just starting to set, the lighting hitting the snow at an angle that bounced it into theirs eyes, when they came upon McLelland Lake and Reservoir. They'd hope to refill old bottles with water and purify them with the tablets. Their faces fell as they discovered the hard, slippery surface of the lake that greeted them.

"Of course it froze over," Launa groaned, rapping the ice with her knuckles, "and our good luck seems to have ditched us." She glanced over, movement out of the corner of her eye catching her attention, and she watched, horrified, as Avi took a tentative step onto the ice. "What the  _fuck_  are you doing?!"

"Probably tempting fate," he said simply, sliding further out onto the ice carefully.

She gaped and flailed, violently beckoning him back. "We don't know how thick the ice is! Get back here!!"

He turned to face her and hopped on the ice once, twice, and slipped on his third, landing hard on his backside with a pained groan. "The point," he grunted, getting back to his feet, wincing and ignoring her amused snort, "is that it can hold my weight, plus the speed of my fall and gravity. Which means it's probably safe."

" ' _Probably_  safe'," she echoed sarcastically, "Bullshit. Get back over here!"

Avi shrugged, then beckoned her to follow him with a crook of his finger and a smirk.  _Ugh, don't do that._  "Come ice skate with me," he called, sliding backwards out to the middle of the lake, "Or come retrieve me. Whichever floats your boat."

She gave an exasperated noise through clenched teeth. "Avriel, I swear to God, I'm gonna hurt you," she threatened, stepping out onto the ice, a little more confident in her traction and balance than he was.

"Promise?" he teased, winking.

"This isn't the time for dirty jokes!" she shouted, ignoring the heat creeping up her neck, "Get your ass over here!"

"Just my ass?"

" _Avi_!"

As soon as Launa was within arm's reach, he took her by both of her hands and spun her around, both of their feet slipping on the ice. He flailed to get his balance back, holding tight to her hand as she righted him, scolding him about the center of the ice being thinner and tugged on his hand to bring him back to their bags, which they'd dropped at the edge of the lake. When he resisted and stood in place, she glared at him, mimicking his overexaggerated frown. "If we die, out here," she said, highly annoyed, "I want you to know that I hate you."

He just grinned cheekily, pulling her flush against him. "No, you don't," he rumbled, "and we're not going to die."

"You don't know that," she argued, poking him hard in his side.

Avi barely felt it through his coat and only hugged her tighter. "What if I do?"

She rolled her eyes. "You don't," she grumbled, annoyed, moving to pull him toward the bags, "now, let's go."

"I don't know," he said, "it's kind of romantic, out here." Her sound of disgust made him laugh and he shuffled behind her, sliding his feet over the ice and trying desperately not to fall as she led him to the edge of the lake.

A deep, rumbling noise emerged from the depths of the lake, making them freeze on the spot. "Not good," Launa breathed, turning to share a panicked look with her companion. The water beneath the ice vibrated, and the ground pitched, throwing their balance off. "Not good!!"

She tugged hard on his hand, leading the way to the edge of the lake. They ran as well as they could, struggling to find purchase on the slippery surface as the earth rocked around them. A wet, cracking noise sounded just behind them.

The ice was breaking apart.

Panicking, they sprinted forward, leaping over a crack as it appeared before their feet, splintering across the fragile surface. The ice suddenly gave from under Launa's foot, sending her leg into the frigid waters and her forward momentum causing her knee to strain painfully in the wrong direction, and she gave a shocked cry as pain arced up her leg.

"Shit," Avi swore, skidding to a stop and turning to hook his arms under hers, lifting her out of the frigid water and back onto the shuddering ice, "Are you okay?" She nodded and waved him away. There was no time to thoroughly check.

"Get off the lake!" she shouted, scrambling to her feet and hobbling beside him, her pant leg soaked and sticking to her skin.

Out of the corner of her eye, Launa noticed large sections of ice being separated from the rest, just in time to feel the surface beneath their boots tip at a precarious angle, their combined weight having made their frozen platform tip into the water. They started to slide, heading toward the frigid lake water.  _If we go under, the ice will go back to its original position, and we'll be trapped. We'll drown._

Avi grabbed her hand hard and tugged. "Jump!" he shouted over the rumbling of the earth. They leapt for the edge of the lake, just barely beyond their reach, and tumbled onto firm ground, her knee twisting painfully as she landed, and he pulled her further from the lake, snow lodging itself up coat sleeves and into boots. The two watched in horror as the ice platform they'd jumped from slapped the water as gravity pulled it down, forming a tight seal with the rest of the ice.

The ground rolled nauseatingly for another long moment, pitching with the aftershocks, and suddenly went still, leaving the pair trembling with adrenaline. Launa found herself breathing raggedly and fell back onto the snow, thankful to still be alive. "Holy shit," she breathed, reaching a hand out to find Avi, clutching his arm tight to assure her that they were both okay, "that was the worst."

He made a vague noise of agreement, and she heard him shuffle in the snow before slight pressure was applied to her left knee. She gasped, pain shooting through her whole leg, from hip down to her ankle. " _Fuck_ ," she swore, sitting up to see him carefully supporting the back of her knee, "what the hell did you just do?!"

"I barely touched it," he said, not daring to move his hand, "I was just trying to see if you hurt it. Which, you obviously did."

Launa groaned, hissing in pain as he shifted his grip. "This is so not good," she groaned, testing moving it and immediately regretting it. She smacked him on the shoulder, "This is your fault!"

"What did  _I_  do?!"

"You went out on the fucking lake, even though I said not to!"

"I didn't expect that to happen!"

She gave a disgusted noise, thoroughly annoyed at him and her injury. "I hate you so much."

She glanced back at him, watching as he kept her gaze and kissed her knee, the warmth of his mouth seeping through the cold, wet denim. "No, you don't," he murmured, smiling sadly, "But I am sorry. What do you need me to do?"  
______

After helping her to her feet, upon her request, they hobbled to a house just a little ways down the highway. He insisted on carrying on all four of the bags, straining under the weight and ignoring her protests. The short trip was sluggish, the sun well below the horizon by the time they flung the door open.

"Oh," Avi grimaced, finding a skeletal corpse on the porch, just to the left of the front door, "I'm sorry for the intrusion."

"I  _so_  don't care, right now," Launa grumbled, hobbling into the front room, dropping onto the couch and wincing as she tried to keep her weight off her leg, "Ugh, this fuckin' sucks."

He dropped the bags just inside the door, avoiding a a beam that had fallen from the ceiling, breathing a sigh of relief for his aching back. He knelt before her, working on taking off her boot. "No, stop," she protested, flailing her uninjured leg, "You don't need to do that!"

"Oh, shush," he said, throwing her hiking boot aside and rolling her pant leg up to examine her knee, lifting it carefully to inspect the back and finding a horrifying array of bruising and busted blood vessels, "It looks like you hyper-extended it."

Launa groaned and fell against the back of the couch. "No," she covered her face with her hands, "Why am I the one always holding us back?"

"Why am I always the one finding corpses?" he asked, offering her a small smile when she lifted her head to glare at him, "It'll be okay, Launa. We'll just wait this out until you can walk on it, and we'll be off, again." He shrugged and gestured to the window. "I don't know about you, but I'm not keen on walking through snow, anyway."

She sighed heavily, glancing his face over and bit down the urge to run her hand through his hair. "Yeah, alright," she grumbled, "It's not really like a have choice, though."

Avi stood and kissed her forehead, mumbling that he' be right back, and left to check the layout of the house, leaving her to readjust herself to lay sideways on the couch and prop her leg up and keep her knee straight. Laying down with her head on the arm of the couch, she bit her lip as she thought. They didn't need any more delays, and here she was, injured, and being useless.

_Well, this **is**  his fault._

_Yeah, but he apologized. He knew he was wrong._

_He'll still have to make up for it. He caused you physical harm._

_But it's not like he shoved me into the water, himself. He didn't hit me. He didn't know that was going to happen. He's a Cali kid- frozen lakes aren't exactly a thing he's used to._

Launa listened to the silence that suddenly permeated her brain, finding no more arguments. She nodded, proud of her reasoning with herself. Hearing his boots thud across the floor toward her, she turned her head to face him. "Everything look good?"

"Except for the corpse in the smaller bedroom, yeah," he said, grimacing, "Do you want to stay here, or do you want to try going to another one?"

She considered it, screwing her face up. The next house wasn't even in their line of sight, and now it was dark. It was just a bad idea to try to move. "Nah. Just so long as there ain't a body where we're sleeping," she replied, trying to get up before he stopped her.

"You need to not put weight on that," he warned her, gently sitting her back down.

Launa fixed him with an unamused stare. "I can hobble my way to the bedroom. It's fine." He gave a her a deadpan look, not budging from his spot in front of her. She gave an exasperated sigh and laid back against the arm of the couch, throwing her arms over her head dramatically, "Fine. Take me to bed, Mister Kaplan."

Avi smirked at her and carefully hooked his arms under her knees and around her back, lifting her easily from the piece of furniture, sighing. "If only." She whapped him on the back, stifling a laugh and wishing desperately for her knee to heal quickly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	31. Chapter 31

The time it took Launa's knee to heal was either incredibly fast, or she was incredibly stubborn, and Avi couldn't decide which one it was. She pushed herself too hard to start walking again, and everytime she winced, he'd usher her back into bed. Or bodily haul her back into it. Whichever she seemed to be aiming for.

"Stop that," he said firmly, annoyed as he set the flailing woman down on the edge of the mattress, "You're being ridiculous."

"So is your face," she retorted, childishly.

Two days into the healing process and Avi wanted little more than to have her sleep the whole way through it, because she was driving him absolutely batty.  
______

Three days in, and Launa wanted to die. She was mortified by how long this was taking, and she wanted nothing more than to just move. Restlessness was settling deep into her bones, and she couldn't stay still. And every time, no matter where he was in the house, when she went to walk and test her knee, Avi would haul her back into bed, readjusting the pillow under her leg, giving her a scolding look for getting up.

"Just let it heal, would you?" he gingerly touched her kneecap, "You're not making it any better by getting up every half hour."

"I'm bored," she whined, hiding her embarassment over holding them back behind childishness, "I hate this."

He heaved a sigh. "I know," he murmured, sitting beside her and pressing a kiss to her forehead, "I'm so sorry." He kept apologizing, and, yes, she was irritated that her injury wouldn't have happened had he not gone out on the ice, but she wasn't going to blame him for something the ice did.

Launa smiled sadly and ran her fingers over his bristly cheek, a little frightened of how good it felt to touch him, and flickered her gaze over his face as he pulled away. "It's alright," she assured him, again, curbing the urge to slide her hands down his torso or into his hair, "I'll be fine. I'm just being dumb."

He shook his head. "No, you're not being dumb," he said, leaning into her touch and placing his hand on the back of hers, "Childish, maybe. But not dumb."

He earned a wide smile and he pressed his lips to hers, kissing her achingly slowly, sending lava sliding down her spine as she felt his jaw move under her hand, gently toying with her bottom lip before pulling away and taking in a deep breath. Avi kept his eyes closed and leaned his forehead against hers, steadying himself. "I don't think that was very childish," she breathed, earning a laugh in response, "That was actually pretty adult, if you ask me."

He chuckled deep in his chest, giving her a peck on the nose and sighing as he removed himself from her and the bed, wandering off. Launa heaved an echoing sigh as he exited the room, cursing her hormones and his parents for making him so attractive.  
______

Four days in and her knee could actually hold her weight for a reasonable amount of time before needing to rest. Launa couldn't help rejoicing at the progress, even as she was shooed back upstairs into bed.

"You're like a mother hen," she teased, propping her leg up on her pillow, "You worry too much."

Avi grumped at her. "No such thing," he smoothed her hair back from her face, "Not when it comes to you."

She watched as he paused and blushed, biting his lip as he readjusted her pillow and gave her a new bag of frozen vegetables. They'd not been frozen when they found them, but the cold, outside, was enough to use as a natural freezer. She brushed her fingertips against the back of his hand, catching his attention and drawing his gaze up to hers. "Thanks," she said, softly, moving her hand to squeeze his.

His smile was warm, and he lifted her hand to his lips, kissing the back of it. She felt her heart flutter in her chest.  
______

Day five. Both of them wanted to scream in frustration.

Launa actually did.

Avi grimaced and gave her a pillow to scream into.  
______

Six days into their stay, and Avi had entertained himself with inspecting the knick knacks around the house and coming back to lay beside Launa, telling her everything that'd deduced about the previous owners: that they had two children, and neither of them were very old or liked sports, that someone had been to Australia, and someone was from somewhere in Europe.

He continued talking, Launa only half-listening to his words and contented herself just listening to his voice rumbling into her ribs as she played with his hair, watching, amused, as it curled around her fingers and the shell of his ear.

She jumped at his fingers ghosting under her shirt and over her stomach, giggling, but annoyed at the tickling sensation. "If you tickle me, I'll kick your ass," she warned him, unable to contain the grin that spread across her face.

He cast his eyes to her face, looking up at her through his sinful eyelashes, smirking. "With what legs?" he asked, teasingly running his fingers over her lower abdomen.

She kneed him in the shoulder with her good leg, snickering as he rolled off the bed and landed with an 'oof' on the floor.  
______

They hit the week mark, and they realized what day it was as they laid sprawled on the mattress. "Well," Avi said, breaking the silence, "Happy New Year."

Launa grumped, crossing her arms. "There goes another year," she sighed, "Let's hope this one is better. Happy New Year, Avi."

They remained motionless for awhile until he turned over, bracing his hands on either side of her head, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips as he kissed her deeply, sliding his tongue along hers and shivering as she buried a hand in his hair. Smiling as he broke the kiss, he bumped his nose against hers and brushed his fingers along her cheek. "What the hell was that?" she asked, grumpy, but pink in the face.

"A new year's kiss," he answered, simply, grinning.

Launa groaned loud and long as he laid down next to her, feeling cold at his removal. "This. Sucks."

"I would ask you which part," he sighed, "but, I agree on all fronts."  
______

"January 3rd," Launa remarked a couple of days later, testing the movement of her knee as she jotted down the date in her notebook, "Avi, do you realize we've been doing this shit for almost four months, now?"

He popped around the corner, leaning against the doorframe and crossing his arms. "For real? Geez."

She nodded in agreement then patted the empty space beside her, inviting him to sit with her. He moved carefully across the room, laying next to her and lacing his fingers over his stomach, sighing heavily. "I know, right?" she replied, continuing to write in the notebook, using her good knee as a desk.

Avi rolled over and peered over her elbow, resting his nose and mouth against her arm. "What're you writing?" he asked, his beard tickling her skin and making her smile.

"The same thing I always do. The date, and what happened," she answered simply, "And like the past week, there's been nothing happening. 'Dear diary: today I laid in bed like a useless turd. Stay tuned'."

He gave her a disapproving grunt and a glare. "You're not a useless turd, Launa," he insisted, "You're hurt."

She waved him off. "Yeah, yeah, supportive bullshit," she scoffed, going back to writing, "I feel useless and nothing you say or do is gonna change that. Just forget I said it."

"Easier said than done, woman," he grumbled, remaining motionless for a long moment before lifting the hem of her shirt and pressing a bristly kiss to her side, making her yelp in surprise.

" _Avi!_ " she swatted him in the shoulder with her notepad, "What the hell was that for?!"

He rolled onto his back, grinning and shrugging. "I'm just a tiny bit bored," he said, simply, "and it would appear as though you are my only source of entertainment. There's only so many knick knacks in this house."

Launa sighed and straightened her leg, giving up on writing, and leaned back against the headboard. "Alright, 'just a tiny bit bored'," she set her notebook and pen aside, then gestured to her leg with a flourish, "What do you propose that you and my gimpy self do to relieve said boredom?"

He considered her question for a moment, chewing his lip. "There's really nothing to do, is there?," it was more of a statement than a question, and she nodded in agreement. He sighed heavily, mumbling under his breath. "And the things I  _would_  like are... not doable."

She thought about his words, confused, then blushed under his pointed, dilated look, suddenly understanding. "So, you're in a mood."

"Yes," he sighed, once more, squirming uncomfortable, "And I'm sorry. I'm being inappropriate."

Launa considered shoving him out of the bed, but thought against it. She was in much the same boat as he, she realized, catching herself admiring the way his belt hung on his narrow hips. "Nah, you're fine," she assured him, forcing herself to drag her eyes back to his face, finding a knowing smirk waiting for her, "I'm right there with ya."

He raised an eyebrow at her, then settled his head back onto the pillow, lacing his fingers over his abdomen, again, allowing his leg to dangle off the edge of the bed. "How long has it been, for you," he asked, adding quickly, "If you don't mind my asking?"

She took a deep breath, counting on her fingers.  _Holy shit, was he really that long ago?_  "Almost three years," she answered slowly, smiling, amused at his incredulous stare, his jaw hanging open, "What?"

Avi flopped backwards onto his pillow. "You must be completely insane, by now" he said, rubbing a hand over his face, "It's been a little over a year, for me, and I feel like I'm going crazy."

"He wasn't any good, either," she grimaced, recalling the really terrible sex, "he did the barely-shifting-plank-of-wood thing."

He groaned, covering his face. "Oh, geez louise. I'm so sorry," he laughed, setting a hand down on her thigh. For reasons beyond her memory, they traded stories about the strange things their past partners had done, ranging anywhere from the use of peanut butter to poorly placed ice cubes.

"Why peanut butter?" Avi asked, screwing up his face as he rested his head on her stomach, "That slows everything down."

She gave a strained noise of agreement. "Although," she said, tapping thoughtfully on the back of his neck, "Ice cubes could be fun."

He paused for a moment, then shifted slightly, and she felt his hand gently squeeze her thigh. "Yeah?" he inquired, smiling as Launa agreed, then made a 'check' shape on her leg, "Right. Will definitely try that." They were quiet for a long moment, until Avi broke it with another suggestion. "Wrist-tying?"

"I would  _love_  to try that," she said, nodding, "Never got a chance to." She hummed, thinking. "Well, you know that I like biting."

He growled low in his throat. "Yes,  _please_ ," he purred, tracing his fingers idly along her inner thigh, sending shivers up her spine, "Hair pulling?"

"Gods, yes," Launa flipped through her mental list of things that had caught her interest, not quite believing that they were having this conversation, "Food?"

"That would depend," he answered, turning to look at her over his shoulder, "I'm not using any damn peanut butter."

She laughed, shaking her head, "No, of course not."

"Hmmm... oh, gosh, I love food," he mumbled, biting his lip as he pressed his cheek back against her stomach, "How about chocolate? Or whipped cream?"

Launa's brain immediately provided her the mental sensation of what licking whipped cream off of him would taste like, much to her dismay, and she squirmed. "That's a thing I wouldn't be opposed to."

He chuckled deep in his chest, vibrating the mattress beneath them. Avi paused to think for a long moment, and she could practically hear the gears turning in his head. "Dominance and submission?"

"That," she reacted immediately, poking him between his shoulder blades, "Is a soft limit."

The surprise in him was evident, even though she couldn't see his face. "You know the lingo?" he asked, completely shocked.

"Just a little." She grinned, more than a little proud that she'd caught him off guard. "And I'm out of ideas."

_That's a lie. You just don't want to get too worked up._

**_Shush._ **

Avi turned his face to kiss her hipbone. "I'm not," he growled, pressing kisses along her abdomen, up between her breasts, and finally to her neck and face, pressing himself flush against her, grinning at the warmth in her cheeks. W _hy not get a little worked up? He is_.

She shooed the thought away, enjoying the scratch of his beard along her skin as he listed off more things, awaiting her approval or disapproval- including something she hated as a child and hadn't even considered as an adult- and excused himself after she teasingly pointed out the hardness pressing into her thigh. She grinned, watching his face take on a tinge of pink and he kissed her hard before apologizing and fleeing from the room.

"That's no fair," she called, "You're not gonna give me a show?"

Avi tossed a pillow at her from around the corner of the door before making his escape.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥


	32. Chapter 32

Around a week later, after far too much of fumbling with her knee, Launa was glad to be able to walk again without his help or having sit and rest it several times. They spent much of the day travelling in silence, only interuppted when Avi would ask for her knee was holding up.

"You know what I miss?" she groaned, sitting in the tent and stretching her leg, carefully, "Having a car."

He nodded, prying open a can. "I know. I tried the truck at the house, but it wouldn't start."

 _It doesn't matter. It probably wouldn't have made it very far in this snow. None of the vehicles, here, were made for this kind of winter_. She studied the map, approximating the distance between his estimation of their location and their next destination of Ash Fork. It looked to be about another day's worth, given her current hobbling speed.

"You know what _I_  miss?" he asked, offering her a bowl of cold soup with a grimace, "Actual food. Warm food. Non-canned food."

Launa grinned, watching his eyes go distant, fantasizing about food. "Hey, come back from burgerland," she called for his attention, waving a hand in front of his face.

"But," he whimpered over-dramatically, reaching out into empty air, "It's so beautiful."

They burst into childish giggles, desperately ignoring what was actually in their bowls.  
______

Launa woke suddenly, tense, and unsure of what had disturbed her. She rubbed her face into his shoulder, the friction waking her up some and she sat up, glancing around to locate the disturbance. She froze when she heard it, going completely still as ice slid into her stomach.

There was a shuffling noise just outside of the tent.

She shook Avi to wake him, fingers curled tight in his shirt and wincing when his snoring abruptly cut off as he awoke. She held a finger to his lips, and he gave her a bewilered and confused stare.

"There's something outside," she mouthed, gesturing to the front of the tent. He stilled, flicking his eyes to follow her gesture, moving his hand slowly to the knife sitting beside him.

Everything was silent as he slowly, carefully moved to crouch be the tent's entrance, gripping the knife tightly. Taking a deep breath, he edged the zipper open to peer out.  _Tick. Tick. Tick._

He exploded into motion, wrenching the flap open and launching out into the snow, tackling whatever it was to the ground. Launa, panicking, scrambled to follow him and watch his back, reaching for the stiletto blade she'd long since stolen from Moab. She found Avi struggling, not with an animal, but another human.

He got the younger man pinned under his weight, his knees digging into the intruder's forearms, pressing the sharp blade to his throat. "Who are you?!" Avi shouted, leaning over to get into the stranger's face, "What do you want?!"

The guy couldn't have been any older than 18. He was pale, his eyes sunken and his cheeks hollowed. "I'm just hungry," he mumbled, whimpering as Avi leaned harder on him, his hand digging into his shoulder to hold him down, "Please, don't kill me! I was just sent to get food!"

"So, you thought you would rob us?" Avi hissed, pressing the blade harder against the kid's neck, just short of drawing blood. Launa watched, horrified, as her partner's eyes grew wild, snarling as he demanded an answer. The kid nodded, frightened, but not daring to look away. "There are more of you?"

Another nod.

"Are you the kid from Flagstaff I chased?"

A whimper and a nod.

"Why were you there?"

The boy swallowed as well as he could against the blade. "Food," he whispered, "We've been using Flagstaff as a food supply."

"That's why it was empty," Launa interjected, standing outside of the tent and crossing her arms, "We're lucky we had supplies to last us until the next town."

Avi eased the pressure of the knife on the kid's throat, his voice softening. "How many of you are there?"

"About fifteen," he answered, taking in a relieved breath, "A few men, women, and a couple of kids."

Launa watched, wary, as her partner lifted his hands off the younger man, keeping his arms pinned as he glanced over his shoulder at her. "What should we do?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I don't know."

Before either knew what had happened, Avi had been flipped over onto his back, the boy quickly and deftly overpowering him in his dropped guard, smashing his face into the snow and holding the stolen knife to his throat. "You think you can just threaten me and live?" The boy hissed, cutting off as Launa leapt onto his back, pulling her arm tight around his neck, crushing his windpipe just enough to make him choke and release Avi.

He fell onto his back and onto her in an attempt to crush her, and she flailed, scraping the heel of her boot down his leg as her partner recovered, standing quickly and lifting the assailant off of her by the front of his shirt. He swung his fist hard into the young man's face, his jaw making a sickening cracking noise, and he fell to the ground, coughing.

Launa set her foot against his exposed throat, daring him to move, again. She shared a look with Avi. "I don't know what we should do," she whispered, sure that the stranger couldn't hear her over his wheezing, "If we let him go, he'll tell his group that we're dangerous, and we'll be out of luck."

"We can't kill him, though," he murmured, bending to pick up his lost knife, "If he never returns, they'll know something killed him, and we'll still not be trusted."

She sighed, her face hard as she looked down on the helpless boy. "We're damned if we do, and damned if we don't," she murmured, flicking her eyes over him, frowning as something occured to her, "Why did they only send you?"

She eased the pressure of her foot to allow him to speak. "My Dad took me hunting," he answered, "I know my way around, here. No one else was available to go with me."

Avi gave her a dubious look. "We should let him live," he said, finally, after a long pause, earning him an incredulous stare. He gestured to the tent. "I'll be right back. Keep an eye on him. Or a foot. Whatever."

She nodded, understanding as her companion disappeared into the tent, and allowed the stranger to sit up, but kept a foot precariously placed on his crotch with just enough pressure to keep him uncomfortably pinned. "Which way did you come from?" she asked, watching as he pointed down the highway.

"We're settling near Needles," he replied shakily, "They should be there any day, now."

Launa patted his cheek. "Thanks for your cooperation, kiddo." She released the pressure on him just as Avi swung a pan into the back of his head, knocking him unconscious with a sharp crack.  
______

They packed faster than they ever had before, flinging things into their bags and leaving the young man propped up against a tree, and they had never been more thankful for wind and snow to cover their tracks. The early morning provided them just enough light to set out on the road at a quick, silent pace, fleeing from the scene as fast as their feet could carry them.

They were silent, a sense of urgency in their travel. They shared a brief, panicked look. They were definitely no longer alone, and it was more than likely unwelcome company.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	33. Chapter 33

They barely stopped for breath, even as the sun started to set, hardly speaking a word as they pitched their tent far off to the side of the road next to some trees, hoping that they would disguise them, somewhat. The spread of the snow was starting to dissipate, which relieved them. Their pace could be picked up, again, soon, with nothing but asphalt beneath their boots and nothing to impede them but exhaustion. Which Launa already felt acutely.

Her knee ached, and she stretched it carefully as she laid down in the tent, but was unable to relax. Adrenaline from the run-in with the stranger was still pumping through her system, and renewed every time she recalled the incident. She took a deep breath, calming somewhat as Avi laid beside her, even though she could feel that he was just as tense as she was.

She turned to face him, wrapping an arm tight around his waist as he mirrored her, his arms wound around her shoulders, and she pressed her face into his neck, feeling his pulse moving rapidly, there. Launa rubbed his back, and he curled a hand into her hair. He was scared, and no amount of protective instinct could calm her into saying that she wasn't just as frightened.

 _Humans are just animals_ , she found herself thinking, _We're just pack animals with little to no mercy. We are no different. We knocked that kid out and left him in the snow. He could be dead. We could be murderers._

She shivered hard, pulling herself closer to Avi and willing the thoughts away. _Please, just let me sleep. Please, just let me wake up and have this all be a dream. I don't want to be a murderer._

She wanted to talk to him about her thoughts, wanted to spill every little thing and every drop of fear, but bit it all back when she heard him inhale deeply, shakily. He was just as frightened, and the same thoughts had probably alrady crossed his mind. And if they hadn't, she didn't need to plant the notion that they could be killers into his brain.

Launa squeezed him, hoping to be comforting, and tried desperately to ignore the frightened rabbit that was her thoughts.  
______

The following day's travel led them staight into Ash Fork, and she was thankful to see something resembling civilization. Or what was left of it. Ash Fork had gone relatively undamaged, but was still dusted with the snow that had covered the region, but had not been hit as hard by the blizzard.

They quickly surveyed the area, glancing down streets and alleys to assure themselves that they were, indeed, alone. Even when they had agreed on their solitude, they moved as silently and swiftly as possible, purely out of paranoia. They settled in a small apartment for the evening, one that was slightly below ground, but still allowed them to peer out and spot any strangers without being seen, themselves.

Launa found herself settling comfortably into the apartment, reminded of her childhood home with its similar wood paneling and warm colors. "I like it," she announced, breaking the heavy silence and startling Avi from where he'd stationed himself at the window, and had been sitting for the past half hour.

He just nodded, his mouth set in a grim line, and shifted slightly in the chair he'd taken, keeping his eyes trained with laser intensity on the window. She sighed, and rose from her seat on the floor by the bags and approached him, lightly brushing her fingers over the hard line of his shoulders and pressing her cheek to his temple. "It'll be alright," she whispered, settling her hands on both shoulders, carefully digging her thumbs into the muscle.

Avi gave a small sigh and let his eyes flutter shut, rolling his shoulders into her hands. "That's nice," he breathed, his head lolling back to rest against her chest as she rhythmically squeezed a little harder, not having realized just how tense he'd been. She kissed a soft line from his cheek and down his neck, shivering at the deep rumble of pleasure in his throat that vibrated against her lips. Smiling, she rubbed over his shoulders one last time before briefly wrapping her arms around him, pressing another kiss to his neck as she removed herself, leaving him in peace.

It was going to be a long night, she could feel it, and she wasn't entirely sure how to handle the mass of stress Avi had wound himself into. She bid him a good night, reminding him to get some sleep, and headed off into the sole bedroom of the apartment.  
______

Launa was woken in the middle of the night by Avi moving completely over her, his hips between her knees and his hands braced on either side of her head. "Avi?" she slurred, exhausted from the day's travels, "What are you doing?"

He slowly sank down to lay against her entirely, his face buried in her neck and arms wrapped around her back. "Can I lay like this, please?" he asked, muffled, "Or is it going to be uncomfortable?"

She couldn't deny that it made breathing a little difficult, but she couldn't say no to his request. "You're fine where you are," she answered, one hand going to his back and the other sliding into his hair, "Are you okay?"

He relaxed completely into her grip, cradled by her whole body, and heaved a slow sigh. "Yeah," came the quiet reply, "I'm just..." he trailed off and squeezed her tight, curling into her a little further.

She smiled into his shoulder, ghosting her fingers up the gentle curve of his spine as she propped her legs up to frame his hips. Launa didn't dare breathe a word, and simply soaked in how good the solid weight of him felt. The entirety of his being felt exhausted, and she held him tight.

Her brain seemed to poke at her.  _When did you become this? This protective... thing? This isn't what we do. We don't give ourselves to others. It gets us trampled and shat on._

Launa frowned hard at the thought.  _He hasn't given me any reason not to trust him. He's done nothing but watch my back and take care of me. I trust him._  Satisfied with the responding silence, she shut her brain down for the night, ignoring any other intrusive thoughts.

Avi murmured something indiscernible into her neck and tried to bury further into her, and she couldn't help but grin at the tickling brush of his eyelashes against her skin, stroking his hair as he went limp, his breathing evening out as sleep claimed him.

She sighed quietly, curling her fingers into his shirt and kissed his shoulder, bidding him a silent 'good night'.  
______

Avi woke slowly, his eyes remaining closed, and sighed, simply basking in the warmth of the woman beneath him. He hadn't moved at all, in his sleep, and was still embraced in the entirety of Launa's body. His skin sang under her touch, under every point of contact, and he smiled, pressing soft kisses to her neck, gently waking her.

She stirred, inhaling deeply and scowling at the disturbance. She grumbled his name, then laughed quietly under her breath as his bristly jaw scratched her cheek. "That tickles," Launa murmured, wrapping her arms back around hm and grinning as he continued the assault.

He kissed a line along her jaw and to her mouth, molding his lips to hers, relishing the tiny noise he elicited from her as he angled his face against hers. She gave a small sigh as he moved his hand to hold her hip, his thumb tracing circles over her hipbone as goosebumps rose on her skin. Avi released a quiet moan into her mouth as she wrapped her legs around his waist, rolling her hips up into his. She grinned, breaking the kiss and slid a hand into his hair, shivering as he dropped sloppy, open mouthed kisses to her neck.

"Christ, woman," Avi mumbled, gripping the sheets tightly, "This was _not_  what I had in mind."

She kissed his cheek, wiggling her hips and grinning at the responding noise he stifled in his throat. "You started it," she said, running her fingers down his back and over his rear.

He lifted his head from her neck to give her a scolding look, tapping her on the nose as she gave him a squeeze. "I'm pretty sure the phrase is 'morning  _wood_ ' not..," he trailed off, unsure of what the politically correct phrase of the opposite would be.

Launa innocently fluttered her eyelashes at him. "Well, what the hell am I supposed to do when I wake up with an attractive man between my legs?"

She watched as he flushed pink and spluttered, which was the most undignified noise she'd heard him make, to date. "You stop," he insisted, giving a teasing grind of his hips into hers, making her whimper.

"Or what?" she challenged, dipping her fingers under his shirt and up the smooth expanse of his back.

He blinked slowly for a moment, searching through his brain for the proper, witty response. She grinned, watching him struggle with the clouded sleepiness. Avi suddenly smirked, bending to growl in her ear, "I'll have to gag you."

She screwed up her face as he pulled back to see her reaction, shaking her head. "Mmm, no."

"No?"

"Sorry, dear," she shrugged, "Not my thing."

He laughed, dropping his head to her shoulder. "Well, that failed."

Launa moved her arms to hug him. "If it's any consolation," she offered, "The voice was very nice."

They moved to look each other in the eye, and he wagged his eyebrows at her. "Oh, yes?" he rumbled, his voice a pitch or two deeper than normal. She nodded. "Just not the threat."

"Aye."

Avi sighed and she unhooked her legs from around him as he lifted himself to kneel, his hands resting on his thighs. "Well..," he started, trailing off.

"Morning wood killed?"

He fell backwards as she sat up, covering his face and laughing, but nodding. "Oh, we suck at this."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥

After the early morning's awkward fumbling, the rest of the morning before they left was relatively silent, with both of them moving quietly throughout the apartment and eating their breakfast, glancing warily out the window. It seemed that the previous night and that morning's closeness had done little to stave off their paranoia. It was still dark when they'd gotten up, awkwardly shuffling out into the main area of the apartment, and Launa didn't suggest they leave until the sun peeked over the horizon.

They made their usual run into the main part of the town, moving so quickly in and out of the stores to grab cans and bottled water that it felt professional. They'd been there, done that, and they'd survived. "We're more than halfway there," Launa announced, leaning against the car Avi was attempting to hot wire, with no luck, "It's not that far of a walk to Seligman."

Her partner sighed and slid out of the vehicle, kicking the front tire as he passed it, swearing under his breath about new cars and their improved security. "Alright," he grumbled, hauling his bags up onto his shoulders, "Let's get out of here."  
______

If it hadn't been for the decreased pace due to Launa's knee still being touchy and some of the lingering snow, the trip would have gone quite a bit faster. They fell back into the rhythm they'd grown so accustomed to in their first few weeks of travel: get up, travel, rest at midday, travel, dinner, sleep. Rinse. Repeat. The only difference was them. Avi remarked that he felt older, but whether it be the aching in his entire body from the travel, or how much they'd grown since they started, he couldn't quite place why.

Launa couldn't help but agree, recalling how different and how green they'd been at the start. It had only been four months, but it had felt like years. "I feel like I've known you since Junior High," she said, swallowing a mouthful of soup, "And I know it's just because we've been around each other  _constantly_ , but... you know."

He nodded, scraping the remnants of his dinner off the bottom of his bowl. "No, I know what you mean," he reached out to rub her back, setting his bowl down, "It feels like years."

The thought settled into her skull, that evening, as they said 'good night', and Avi curled against her back. _It's because you have nothing else to do than to talk to each other. If you'd bumped into each other and became friends, you probably wouldn't know as much about him in the same space of time. It's almost a magic trick._

She decided that she didn't mind magic tricks, and that she could settle for knowing him so well in a relatively short amount of time, and slipped into unconsciousness, smiling at the soft snoring at the back of her neck.  
______

What she didn't know about him was that he was mildly afraid of snakes.

Launa was awoken by a sharp tugging on her shirt. Squinting her eyes open, she rolled over, nearly elbowing him in the stomach. "What?" she demanded, unamused at the sudden awakening.

What she saw shocked her: Avi was laying stock still and stiff as a board on his back, his eyes wide with panic at the large, rope-like creature sitting on his chest and curled against his collar. He cast his eyes to her, silently pleading for help. She glanced to the tent's flap.  _How did that get in here?_

"Get it off me," he mouthed, fighting to keep his breathing even. Launa nodded, and then carefully, so as to not disturb the snake, edged out of the tent in search of a stick. She came back with two, only find the intruding creature coiled back from Avi's face, looking obviously pissed, its rattles shaking.

"Okay," she breathed, "Easy, now." She carefully slid one stick under the snake's head, then, as quicky as possible, without endangering Avi too much, pinned the thing between the two sticks, like chopsticks, and dragged it outside into the morning's chill air, carrying it a safe distance away and setting it back onto the ground. It struck out at her and she hopped aside and out of reach, thankful for her quick reflexes in the face of danger.

Launa returned as her companion emerged from the tent, his face drained of all color. "I really don't like the desert," he said shakily, running his hands through his hair, "I'm still alive, right?"

"Yes," she laughed, "You're still alive, dipshit."

He insisted that they check him over for bites or anything else that might have crept up on him in the night, and, finding none, settled down, uneasily, curling against her once more. "I really don't like the desert," he repeated, and she hugged him, rubbing his back.

"I know, dear."  
______

Three days of travelling brought them to Seligman, a little town on the side of the road, but a town all the same. It was late afternoon when they arrived, leaving them plenty of time to survey the town's damage and stock up on some supplies before settling for the evening.

"Remember that little town I told you about?" Launa asked him, receiving a positive hum in response, "This is bigger than that." She laughed as Avi whirled his head around, his eyebrows nearly meeting his hairline in shock.

"That... That's a tiny town."

There wasn't much in the way of shops, but they entertained themselves with trying to find a car that would give under Avi's skill of hot wiring. Launa sat perched on the trunk of one as he futzed with the wires. "It's a long way to the next... anything," she said, cringing at the sandy space on the map between Seligman and Kingman, "And there's a lot of desert coming up." He barely gave a grunt in response. "Which means more snakes."

A dull thunk sounded from inside the car, followed by a string of what she could only assume were nasty words in the same language he used, the last time they had car trouble. He poked out of the driver's seat, glaring back at her. "I  _know_  there will be more snakes, woman," he snapped, "Why do you think I'm trying to get this hunk of metal to work?"

Launa raised her hands in defense. "I know," she hopped off the vehicle as he clambered out, "May be we should try another one?"

Avi sighed, rubbing the back of his head, where he'd smacked it on the wheel. "Yeah, alright," he lifted his bags from the ground, "Next?"

They wandered the streets for awhile, avoiding what cracks the quakes had spread through the concrete as Launa suggested cars to him. "What about that one?"

"No," he said, shaking his head, "That's a 2012 model- it won't hot wire. It's got security systems to protect against that."

They went on, Avi explaining why some cars would work and why some wouldn't, pinpointing the year-range they were looking for: Something from the 70's to the late 80's. Something that would easily start up, but have good miles per gallon. And, if they could, have plenty of space for their luggage. He tried around ten vehicles, all failing, either by not starting at all, or by sputtering and dying within the first few minutes.

"Could I try?" Launa asked, earning a bewildered look from her partner.

He considered it a moment, then nodded, "Yeah, I could teach you."

The next vehicle they came across, some newer, piece of crap, he ushered her into the driver's seat and instructed her on how to do it. The car didn't start, even though his lesson was perfect, but she felt oddly proud, all the same. "So, we can cover twice as much ground, tomorrow," he said, smiling and offering his hand to help her out of the car, "Now that you're a pro."

"Oh, no," she waved her hands and shook her head almost violently, "I'm not a pro, yet."

Avi chuckled and pulled her against his side, kissing her forehead. "You'll get there," he squinted at the position of the sun, grimacing.

"It's almost dark," she observed, heaving her bags onto her shoulders, "Time to tuck in for the night?"

Agreeing, they headed off, searching out a house that seemed structurally stable.  
______

Launa sat heavily on the couch, sighing, and whipped the tie out of her braid to redo it. The stray hairs were driving her crazy. Her mind wandered into blankness as she combed her fingers through her hair, staring absentmindedly ahead as Avi dug through his bags, then through his pockets. "Baby? Do you have the map?"

She nodded, pausing her braiding to slide the map out of her bag and into his hand as he reached for it, then stopped short.  _Did he just..?_  She frowned, a deep line appearing between her brows. "What did you just call me?"

Avi looked over his shoulder as he knelt by the bags, again, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. "Uh," he thought hard, trying to recall the conversation, flushing pink when he remembered, "I called you 'baby'." She nodded slowly, tying off her braid and glancing around the room. "Is that a bad thing?" He asked, chewing on his lip.

She thought about it for a moment.  _No one's called me that, before._  Upon the realization, she felt stupid for feeling slightly giddy, not able to contain the small smile that crossed her lips. "No," Launa said, "No, that's fine. I just wasn't expecting it."

Avi visibly relaxed, grinning at her before standing and sitting next to her on the couch, unfolding the map so they could study it, together. At some point in the discussion, he reached over and laced his fingers through hers, holding her hand tightly, but comfortably. Launa felt as though she might explode, the bubbling feeling of affection building in her chest, making it almost unbearable to hold in. She squeezed his hand, running her thumb over his, and gave him a smile before putting in her opinion on the plan of travel.


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥

Launa woke steadily, as if coming up from a dive: One layer at a time, until she could groggily blink her eyes open, rubbing her face into Avi's shoulder to further wake herself. She looked him over, smiling sleepily. He was still completely unconscious, his deep brown curls a mess around his head and eyelashes fanned out against his cheeks, and she found herself brushing a lock of hair from his forehead before she could stop herself.

He inhaled deeply, starting to wake up. Launa propped herself up and, half-laying on him, leaned over and pressed a feather-light kiss to his lips. She pulled away when she felt him smile. "Good morning, sleeping beauty," she greeted quietly, resting her hand on his shoulder, grinning as he screwed up his face in response.

"No," he groaned, "It's not even.." Avi trailed off, sighing, and pulled her down to kiss her, again, humming appreciatively against her lips before releasing her.

"I think that was going to be a sentence?" Launa poked at him, laughing as he rumbled at an impossibly low pitch at her. Grumbling and rolling over, he threw his arms around her shoulders, pinning her halfway beneath him.

"No," he repeated, "No talking yet, please."

She just nodded, smiling wide and returning his embrace as he tucked her under his bristly chin.  _Alright. Five more minutes._  
______

After eating a small, quick breakfast, they continued the work from the previous day, of checking vehicles to see if they could be used to travel. They had grimaced at the map the night before, agreeing that they _really_  didn't want to walk that whole way through the desert.

They'd been at this for nearly two hours, going through different cars, and none of them seemed to want to work. Launa sat on the hood of one, watching Avi work on another, and found her mind wandering as she watched his fingers deftly twist wires.  _Dear Gods, he has lovely hands_. She squirmed in her seat as her intrusive imagination painted vivid pictures of what he could do with those, how he could caress and pull and flick and slide in-

She shook her head violently, squeezing her eyes shut. _Okay, **no**. You need to stop that. That sort of thing is obviously not going to happen, out here._

_But what if we get to LA and there's not any form of civilization, as we knew it, before? What then?_

She bit her lip, willing herself to not watch the tendons in his neck. A thought suddenly occurred to her, snapping into her brain so quickly, she wondered why it hadn't been there, before. _How many stores have we been in? At least half of them would have had contraceptives._

Launa's heart rate picked up in her chest, and she suddenly had the urge to run down to the store- until she realized that Seligman was a bit on the small side and seemed to have no real big grocery store to speak of.

"Hey," Avi called, waving at her, "Earth to the ginger!"

She blinked rapidly. "What?"

He stood from the car, brushing his hands off on his pants and propping them on his narrow hips. "No luck, here," he said, walking over to her, "Let's move onto the next."

She nodded, her eyes wandering to watch the sway of his hips as he walked, only able to move her gaze to his face when he stood directly in front of her, between her knees as she sat on the car. "You okay?" he asked, settling his hands on her thighs.

Launa shivered, her skin feeling as though it was on fire under his touch. "Yeah, yeah," she assured half-heartedly, torn between wanting to push him away to stave off the craving of him and giving in to any touch he gave her, "I'm fine."

He gave her a dubious look, green eyes flickering over her face for a moment before nodding. "Okay," he leaned in and kissed her cheek, "Come on."  
______

Finally, success. Avi whooped in celebration as the white pickup roared to life, revving the engine twice out of sheer joy. "Okay," he said, calming somewhat as Launa heaved herself into the passenger side, "This thing has a good amount of gas, and the highway looks pretty even." He cocked a flirtatious eyebrow at her, flicking his tongue over his lips. "We should be in Kingman by dinner time."

Grinning wide at each other, he threw the truck into gear, gunning the engine and sending them tearing out of Seligman. The highway looked stunning, and it felt as though they were flying.  
______

Launa didn't recall driving ever feeling sexual, before, though she supposed that it was due to the ridiculously graphic images that had been created in her brain, earlier, that made each of his movements feel intimate and seductive.

She shook herself, angry at the sudden influx of hormones that clouded her thoughts. _What is with me, today?_  She glanced over at him, seemingly unable to tear her eyes from her companion for more than five minutes, today. His eyes were trained on the road, his long fingers curled loosely, almost lazily around the steering wheel, and  _dear Gods_  the slant of his jaw and the curve of his lips were driving her crazy.

 _We've obviously riled ourselves up one too many times._  Launa found herself shiftng in her seat, wishing desperately for either clean hands or to wrap her legs around his waist. She groaned and let her head thunk against the window.  
______

Halfway through the trip, and just before the long stretch of desert nothingness, they came upon an abandoned airplane landing strip that was cracked straight down the middle. The little office building nearby, thankfully, remained intact, despite being severely jostled in the quakes.

Avi killed the engine so they could venture inside, if only out of curiosity.

It was oddly cool, inside, as though the air conditioning was still running, although there was no telltale breeze to be felt. They wandered in, cautiously, keeping their eyes peeled for any signs of life, their booted feet echoing across the linoleum floors.

"It's clear out here," Launa called as Avi poked his head out from a door beyond the front desk, "Find anything?"

He nodded slowly, eyes wide, and beckoned her over with a crooked finger before disappearing around the corner. Sighing at the pang of heat the unusually seductive gesture shot through her, she dropped her bags to the floor, rolling her shoulders in relief and followed the young man.

She turned the corner to find Avi standing rigid and pointing rigidly at a vending machine. "Food," he wheezed, "Non-canned food."

 _Not actual food, though_. Launa sent the thought away, scolding herself for even thinking it. _Be nice. He's excited and goddamn do those look good, or what?_  She looked the vending machine over, taking in the shiny chip bags and bright packages of sugary candies. It was one of the most beautiful things she'd ever seen.

"I'm getting in there," he announced, dropping his bags and searching for a way into the machine.

Launa crossed her arms. "How? We don't have any loose change." He gave her a deadpan stare, waiting until she realized what she just said. "Oh. Right. Apocalypse. Don't need money."

Grinning, he nodded. "Just need something heavy." He grabbed a chair and swung it at the glass, giving a cry of frustration when it bounced off. Swinging it once more, the glass cracked, and on the third swing, it shattered, sending glass pieces everywhere. She flinched at the noise of the glass and the chair hitting the floor, but smiled all the same at his own of triumph. "Hungry?" he asked nonchalantly, attempting to delicately pluck a bag of chips from the coils and scrambling to catch all of them when the coil pulled free, swearing under his breath.  
______

"How can you not like chocolate?" Avi cried, eyes wide with disbelief. They sat on the chairs in the room, their spoils from the machine laid out on the table. "It's one of the best things on this planet!"

Launa grinned at him, leaning on the back legs of her chair. "Even better than burgers and barbeque?"

"I said  _one_  of the best things, not _the_  best thing."

She laughed aloud and popped a chip in her mouth. She glanced the bag over, thanking the heavens for long-shelf life and preservatives. "I don't know," she said, grimacing at the slightly melty candy bars on the table, "I'm just not a big fan. I'll have one every once in awhile, but that's usually, uh.. every three weeks or so."

Chewing slowly, Avi squinted at her, considering her words before nodding, understanding what she meant. "Right, right," he paused, running a hand over his beard, "That would explain the sudden influx of sweets in the house after Esther hit fourteen."

"Oh, wow," Launa spoke around a mouthful of ranch chips, "You just now got that?"

He threw his hands up. "Hey, it's not like I ever really considered that about my sister, okay?" he said, "It's not something I think about,  _ever_. Not that I'm dismissing it, at all. It sucks rocks, from what I hear, and is really painful and you're all just..," She laughed at his backpedaling, not at all bothered by his words, "You're all amazing for putting up with it and not offing yourselves."

She half-bowed with a flourish. "I know, honey," she grinned wide, watching him tap his fingers on the table as he counted.

"So-"

"Four months."

"How did you-?"

"I'm a period ninja." She waggled her eyebrows at him, amused as he shoved another chip in his mouth, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Women," Avi proclaimed, pointing at her, "Are amazing."

She sat forward in her chair, letting all the legs meet the floor and kissed his cheek. "We know," she chirped, leaning back in her chair.

He chewed his lip for a moment. "That still doesn't explain why you don't like chocolate, though. I think you're probably a mutant."

"Probably."  
______

They clambered back into the truck, even as Avi tore open another package of snacks. "Hey, I'm not letting a single one of these go to waste," he said, tearing into a piece of jerky. She watched, amused, as he went stock still and rolled his eyes up into his head, "Holy shit, I missed jerky."

"That good, eh?"

"Almost better than sex," he thrust the bag at her, swallowing hard, " _Almost_."

Launa spluttered as she took a piece from the bag. He had to say that, didn't he? She looked the piece over, catching a whiff of its seasoning.  _Teriyaki. This stuff was so gross as a kid._  Popping it into her mouth, the sharp taste of it exploded on her tongue, and her reaction was rather similar to his. "Holy shit."

He grinned toothily at her. "I know, right?"

With that, he threw the truck into gear and tore off away from the landing strip, leaving it in the dust.


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥

The rest of the ride to Kingman was relatively smooth, passing in silence that was only broken by the crinkle of the jerky bag and Avi's disappointed groan when it was emptied. Launa dozed off at one point, lulled to sleep by the movement and engine of the truck and, after awhile, her partner's deep humming.

She was awoken by a scratchy kiss on her cheek, making her smile before she was even fully awake. "Hey," Avi greetd quietly, brushing a stray hair from her face, "We're here." She nodded, stretching, and started to move her bags from the backseat wordlessly.

He had parked the vehicle alongside what appeared to be the main store of that side of the city.  _Shopping trip_. Launa thought sleepily as they gingerly made their way inside. It was in relatively good shape, and had been picked over, but they still managed to pick up cans and bottled water where they could find them.

Avi kept close to her, instead of their usual plan of splitting up to cover more ground, making her unsure of whether he was uneasy and that she should should be, too, or to simply feel safe. A warmth spread through her as she chose the latter. He unconsciously pulled her away from a pile of debris where a ceiling beam had fallen, and, if only for a moment, she let him guide her to a safer spot.

"I can see where I'm going, Avriel," she scolded, trying to fight the fuzzy warmth his concerned gesture stirred up.

He just laughed lowly, his hands going to her shoulders as he apologized. Before she could ask what he was apologizing for, he turned her around to face him, cradling her face in his hands and kissed her softly. There was something different about this one, something she couldn't quite grasp through the fog he created with the slow, smooth contact of their lips. She let herself give in, closing her eyes and sliding her arms around his neck as he angled his face against hers, his warm hands going to her back to press her completely against him.

They remained that way for a long, foggy moment, until Avi pulled away, their lips lingering for just a second longer. "I'm sorry," he murmured, leaning his forehead against hers, "I just really wanted that."

Launa opened her eyes to find his closed ones, and took in a deep, silent breath, inhaling the warmth he radiated. It was so still, so quiet, and, for only a moment, she never wanted to move, again. She wanted nothing more than to just stand there with him, wrapped up in his arms.

"You don't need to apologize," she breathed, unwilling to break the silence that had fallen around them. She tilted her head to press her lips gently to his, briefly, one hand sinking into the curls at the base of his neck.

Avi gave a small sigh, and reluctantly removed himself from her. "We should get what we need and grab a house, for the night," he said, voice hushed, "We're losing light."  
______

Their choice in house was made quickly, almost silently. Launa almost felt sad, and, as a result, stupid.  _Why are you sad? You should be happy that you two had that moment. What's wrong with you?_

She laid on the master bedroom's mattress, her head at the foot of the bed, wincing at the ghost pain in her right knee. _I don't know. Maybe because those moments always end?_  She vaguely recalled a time when she'd done that, before, and had actually cried. And even though she had tried to hide it, her boyfriend, at the time, had gotten immensely annoyed at her.

_Maybe because when those moments happen, the end is always close behind._

Her heart clenched. Her stomach filled with ice. The very thought of him leaving made her go cold, and she suddenly found it difficult to breathe. Her pulse picked up and she felt like puking, and  _oh no, please stop-_

Launa curled onto her side, burying her hands deep into her hair, trying to slow her breathing, trying to be calm, trying trying trying- _Stop stop **stop**._  Gods, she hadn't had a panic attack in years, and nope- it hadn't gotten any easier. She gulped in a deep breath, squeezing her eyes shut and thinking of good things.

_Mom's perfume. Coffee._

_Home. My cat. My blankets at home_.

_Safety. Fresh air. Grandma's flowers._

_Music. Caramel. My books._

"Launa?" Avi's voice met her ears, and, even in her slowly calming state, she was unable to answer him. A panicked tone seeped into his voice. "Baby?" He crossed the room and knelt beside the bed, in front of her, his hand covering one of hers. "What's wrong?" He asked, sounding increasingly worried.

She peeled her eyes open and offered him a wavery smile. "I'm okay," she lied, "I just need a minute."

He held a hand to her forehead, testing her temperature, his brow furrowed with concern. "You're not sick, again, are you?"

She shook her head. "No. Just..," she started, then broke off, searching for a viable explanation for her behavior, "I don't know."

"How can I help?" She searched his face, struggling with the anxiety set deep into her heart.

_You might as well detach, now. He's going to leave after you get to LA._

_Stop._

_This is just convenience. He won't need you after this is over._

_Please stop._

_Just give up._

_Should I?_

Suddenly angry, Launa's face screwed up, rage re-building to ward against the fear. "Stay with me."

The almost angry demand seemed to surprise him, and he blinked rapidly for a moment. "You don't mean right now, do you? You mean after we get to California." She nodded, and he smiled warmly. "You're not getting rid of me that easily. Of course, I'm staying." She breathed an involuntary sigh of relief as he removed her hand from her hair, kissing her knuckles, briefly. "Is that what's bothering you?" he asked, watching her nod, once more, slowly.

Standing, he kicked off his boots and crawled into bed with her, wrapping her tight against his chest. "I'm not going anywhere, without you. I promise," Avi said, kissing her hair, "Do you promise?"

Launa took in a shaky breath, sliding an arm around his waist, under the coat he'd not yet removed. "I promise not to go anywhere, without you, too."

"Which means you are definitely taking me up north."

She smiled wide, able to breath easily, again. "That's fine. Just so long as you can handle it."

He pulled away far enough to see her face, wagging his eyebrows at her. "Well, I can handle you," he joked, and laughed when she poked him in the back, "Not good with jokes, yet?"

She shook her head, still smiling. "No," she answered, "I'm just fine, actually." She felt so stupid, so  _dumb_ , but she was thankful that the attack had passed quickly. "You gonna take this off, or what?" She asked, tugging on his coat.  
______

After teasing her and giving her a faux strip tease of just his coat, complete with the bassline of the background music of a porno, they ended up laying on the bed with their heads on the correct end, talking about anything that came to mind. Launa laid on her stomach and her arms crossed over a pillow that was tucked under her armpits and neck, facing him as he laid on his side, grinning as he talked about his friends.

"I think you'd like them," he said, "They're all so kind. Maybe a little strange, but who isn't?"

She smiled. "That's true," she agreed, "You all sing, then?"

He nodded, propping his head up on a hand. "Yeah. There's Scott, our baritone, Mitch, the tenor, and Kirstie, who fills in both the soprano and alto parts. They all knew each other as kids, and they found Kevin and I, trying out for a singing show," he smiled wistfully, remembering when they'd met, "It was so strange, but we all just... clicked."

"What part does Kevin sing?" Launa asked, intensely curious.

"Beatboxing," Avi responded, grinning wide, "And he's _amazing_. They all are. I really miss them."

She watched his eyes go distant for a moment, no doubt recalling his friends. "Did you make

it?" she asked quietly, "On the singing show, I mean."

He paused, then sighed heavily. "No," he replied quietly, almost sadly, "But that hasn't stopped us from trying."

They flowed through topics like water, ranging anywhere from favorite foods to pet peeves. They were thoroughly engrossed in old hobbies when Avi reached out and ran his fingers down her spine, watching her shiver with a smirk. "What was that for?" She almost grumbled, shaking off the goosebumps that bloomed on her skin.

He shrugged. "Entertainment, I suppose," he answered, brushing his fingertips over her lower back, just above her backside.

"Ugh, you're evil," she groaned, planting her face in her pillow, fighting the urge to arch her back into his hand and ignoring the fire that sailed down her spine and made her skin tingle.

"You like it," he said, smirking at the little twitches his featherlight touches caused, then slid a hand into the back pocket of her jeans, squeezing her rear gently. She grumbled into her pillow, but didn't lift her head from it, "Oh, you actually do like it." He observed, scooting a little closer and brushed his fingers back up her spine, under her shirt.

The sudden influx of heat spreading through her system jolted her memory. _Oh, are we really going to bring that up now?_

Launa shuddered at the tingly warmth pooling low in her belly, biting her lip as he hit all the sensitive spots on her back.  _Considering that this has gotten so bad that he's seducing me with back touches, yes- we're doing this, now._

Her voice didn't want to work, at first, and came out in a husky whisper, "Avi," her tone made him raise an eyebrow and smirk. She cleared her throat. "Serious talk, dude."

Avi quickly retracted his hand from under her shirt, and she nearly whined at the loss of the pressure and warmth of it. "I'm listening," he assured her, "Is everything alright?"

She nodded, swallowing hard, suddenly very nervous. "Yeah, yeah," she trailed off, grasping at the sudden silence inside her skull for a way to tell him about the realization she'd had, "Um." He nodded, his brilliant green eyes focused in on her intently. She bit her lip, her cheeks flushing under his gaze. "So, you know all those stores we've been in, in the past four months?" He nodded. "...How many of those do you think probably had condoms?"

He blinked slowly for a moment, staring at her blankly, until, finally , he brought his hand up to smack over his eyes and nose. "Oh, wow," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose, "We're really dumb."

Launa couldn't help but nod in agreement and make an annoyed face. "Just a little bit. I thought of that earlier, today."

"Why didn't you say anything until now?"

She shrugged. "I forgot about it, to be honest," Avi groaned and rolled onto his back, "We had other shit going on, dude! And I fell asleep."

He covered his eyes with his forearm and started to laugh, shaking his head. "Between the two of us," he said, sighing, "We are doomed to endless frustration."

"Ain't that the truth." She agreed, then groaned, "We were at a store, earlier, too." With a frustrated cry, Avi rolled over onto her, flinging himself half on her and laughing as she wheezed under his weight. "Why do you do this to me?"

"Because," he said into her neck, pressing chaste kisses up to her jaw, "You are just a little infuriating."

Launa giggled at the scratchy tickling of his beard against her neck and looped an arm under his in a hug, the other going to his hair. "You like it."

"I really do."


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥

The next morning came too quickly. Launa groaned in annoyance as the morning sunlight filtered in through the windows and straight into her eyes. Grumbling something about UV rays being stupid, she rolled over and buried her face in Avi’s chest.  _Nope. Can’t handle it. Not today._  Her companion inhaled deeply, slinging an arm around her shoulders and sliding his knee between her legs before stilling, again.  _We stayed up way too late. Ugh._

She didn’t know she’d fallen asleep, again, until he was waking her up, gently shaking her shoulder. “We’ve slept in,” he grumbled, “Come on.” She groaned and held tight to his waist, refusing to relinquish her grip, causing him to chuckle. “Come on, Launa.” He pulled a couple of times, dragging her halfway across the bed before giving up for a moment, almost laying on her and pressing kisses to her shoulder and collarbone, humming low into her skin. “Up, up.” He urged, a moment later, prying her arms off and attempting to lift her from the mattress.

Annoyed, but awake, Launa slid snake-like off the bed, flopping onto the floor. “Did I ever tell you that I really like your boots?” she asked from the floor. He just laughed in response and heaved her to her feet, careful not to jostle her knee.  
______

They quickly swept through Kingman once they had breakfast in them, looking through anything and everything, trying to find something that might be useful in the residential areas- a gun, another knife, or some sort of bedding items. Launa came upon a better knife than the one she was carrying in her boot. It was crafted sturdier, but was still the same stilleto style that she preferred. Avi stuck to the ‘miniature machete’, as she’d called it.

Not wanting to risk running out of gas in the middle of the next stretch of desert on the way to Needles, they decided to locate another vehicle that had the capacity to carry them at least that far. Launa bit her lip as she looked over the map and their next destination. “Avi?” she called, sitting on the front porch of a house that was halfway demolished from the quakes. When he gave no response, she called for him again. Still nothing, and was completely bent in half to get to wiring under the steering wheel.

Sighing, she called again as she approached him, and still nothing. Giving up, she slammed her hand into the horn of the car, and Avi jumped, smacking his head on the wheel and swearing. “Dammit, woman,” he cried, rubbing the back of his head to ease the pain and squinting at her, “ _What?_ ”

"Needles, Avriel."

"Needles?," he echoed, taking the map from her and peering at it, "What about it?"

Launa leaned against the car and crossed her arms. “That kid said that there was a band of people settled near there. ” She watched his face drop. “Yeah. Same.”

"Oh," he leaned back in the driver’s seat and looked the map over, "Do you think we should avoid it?"

"I don’t know," she brought her braid over her shoulder to play with the curling end of it, "Just because that one kid was a thief doesn’t mean that they’re all bad, right?"

Avi gave her a dubious look. “Do we even want to risk it?” he clambered out of the car and folded up the map, “I mean, humans are pack animals. We might be seen as a threat.”

"Yeah, I had that thought." She chewed her lip and wrapped her braid around her hand, "I don’t know what to do."

He slammed the car door shut and leaned against it, muttering something about how it wouldn’t start. “Let’s just go and see what’s to see. He said they’re _near_  Needles, so we might miss them completely. And besides,” he shrugged, “We’ll have an escape vehicle.”

She smiled up at him and he clapped her on the shoulder reassuringly. “Yeah, okay, ” she agreed, “Just so long as you can get us out of there in a hurry if trouble comes up, okay, speed demon?”

He grinned at the name and agreed, and they moved onto the next vehicle.  
______

"This one is likely to start," Avi announced, bent over to inspect the wiring, "Anything else you want to grab, here, before we go?" Launa took in a deep breath, but remained silent for a long while. "Launa?"

She looked at him pointedly, unsure of why she couldn’t bring herself to remind him of the conversation they’d had the night before. “Um,” he nodded, urging her to speak. She gestured vaguely, pointing between the two of them and to her general hip area, “The things for the thing and things?”

He squinted hard at her, his mouth slightly hanging open in confusion, until it suddenly hit him and she could actually see the information click in his brain. “Right! Right, right, right,” he said, nodding enthusiastically, then grinned and patted the passenger seat, “Hop in and I’ll take us around, real quick.”

She did so, and, as promised, he hotwired the car into life and pulled up to the store they’d been in, the day before. They sprinted inside and, after some debate, split up: Launa went to stock up on bottled water and soup cans, and Avi took off toward the medicine and personal aisles. She was back in the car before he came back and offered her the box he’d picked up, grinning wide at the bright red she flushed as she tossed it, embarassed, into the back seat before covering her face.  _Dear God, that’s something that’s really going to happen. What am I doing I’m, like, five I am **too young for this**._

Before starting the vehicle, again, Avi leaned over to try to peer at her from under her hands. “Are you okay?”

She just waved him away and pulled her feet up onto the seat, absolutely mortified. “Just let me try to get over this, okay?”

He nodded, then raised an eyebrow. “I thought you said you’d had sex, before.”

Launa curled further into herself, extremely self-conscious. “I have, just,” she sputtered, grasping at straws for a good reason for her embarrassment.  _What is the problem?_

_The problem is that I’m way more attracted to him than I’ve been to anyone else, before._

_Ohhh. Yeah, that’d do it. You’re on your own, kid._

She cursed the sudden silence in her brain, and removed her hands to find Avi looking extremely concerned at her. “If it’s distressing you, this much, we shouldn’t-“

"No, no, no," she waved her hands vehemently in protest, "No, trust me, I want to. I’m just really fuckin’ nervous."

He offered her a warm smile and reached over to gently rub her back. “If you’re sure, then, alright,” he said, “It’ll be okay. Well, more than okay, I hope.”

She snorted hard and took a deep, steadying breath, trying to stave off another anxiety attack. “I’m sure it’ll be more than okay.”

Launa watched as he bent to start the engine, again, and he straightened himself and took hold of her hand, brushing his thumb over the back of her knuckles. “Off we go, then?” She nodded in agreement, and he threw the car into gear and sped off, a little too quickly for her taste and she gripped the doorhandle tight as they left the city of Kingman in the dust.


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥
> 
> Caution: This chapter is NSFW.

After their departure from Kingman, it was relatively silent in the car, only broken by the occasional uncapping of water bottles. Launa slowly unfolded her legs from their tight position against her chest, wincing at the protests from her knee.

"You okay?" Avi asked, glancing over to her.

She nodded and rubbed at her knee, being careful not to disturb it too badly. "Yeah, it just hurts from being in the same position for too long."

The silence was almost awkward, and she tried hard not to think about the box sitting in the back of the car on the floor, her stomach twisting nervously every time it came to mind. In an attempt to distract herself and break the silence, she leaned forward and fiddled with the radio dial on the dashboard, flicking it on. She strained her ears and cranked the volume up, only picking up silence with a background white noise and static. "They still haven't fixed the radio towers," she observed, twirling the dial off, "Lame."

Her partner said nothing, but reached over and rubbed his thumb over her shoulder. "It's okay," he murmured, offering her a warm smile.

She mirrored the gesture for a moment, sliding her hand along his arm to rest over his hand. "I know," she replied, lacing her fingers with his, squeezing gently for a moment before releasing her grip.

Launa leaned her forehead against the door frame, watching the landscape pass. It was overcast, but it was relatively warm, which didn't suprise her, since they'd arrived in a desert area. After checking out the map for what felt like the millionth time, they discovered that the only town between them and Needles was Yucca, and they agreed that they'd stop into the little town, if only to see if there was anyone there.

The prospect of meeting hostile humans was more than a little daunting, and she found herself feeling reluctant to rejoin any other humans. To be completely honest, the rest of the human race had begun to frighten her. They couldn't be sure whate exactly was waiting for them, and she was almost too afraid to find out.

She was pulled from her thoughts by a sound they hadn't heard in months: Raindrops. It spattered over the metal roof and against the windshield and windows, contrasting sharply with the desert around them. "Yet more weird precipitation in the desert," Avi remarked, turning on the windshield wipers as the rain came down harder, soaking the car and the road before them. She watched, fascinated, as the desert sand slowly became darker as time passed, and she had the idle curiosity of  _what would happen if we accidentally drove off the highway_  slithered through her brain.

The raindrops were coming down so hard and fast, it was a little frightening. "I guess this is literal buckets," Launa muttered, glancing over at her partner, only to find him with a small smile, "What?"

"Nothing," he answered, "Just remembering the last time it rained."

She mirrored his smile after a moment of digging through her memories. The first time they kissed was only a few months ago. Is this going too fast? She'd had this argument with herself, before.  _Well, you two have practically been living together, so I'd say... no. Go for it._

Launa held out her hand, offering it for him to hold, and he took it, his fingers wrapping tight around hers. His expression was one of quiet surprise as she lifted his hand to her lips, pressing a kiss to his knuckles. He squeezed her hand in response and opened his mouth to say something, only to snap it shut a moment later. "What?" she asked, "You've been doing that a lot, lately."

He shook his head and laced his fingers between hers. "It's nothing." Avi responded simply, and said nothing more on the matter, despite her pressing.

"Avi," she grumbled, unamused at his silence, even when that small smile made its way to his lips, once more.  
______

The trip to Yucca took much longer than expected, slowed by the torrential downpour that beat down on the vehicle. They decided, when they discovered that they couldn't see the sun clearly through the clouds, that they would call it a night, and try again the next day. There was no sense risking hydroplaning in the the near flood-like rain.

Yucca was small, compared to Kingman, but had plenty of residential areas to check out, despite the cracks lining the concrete and asphalt throughout the town.  _The quakes must have been a little harder here._  The closer they got to the California fault line, the more paranoid Launa felt herself becoming.

They pulled up to a small house with the front door hanging open. Clearly, the evacuation had been successful, here, which meant no bodies would be waiting for them.  _Or the band of people got lazy and left it open._  She shook herself, trying to drive the thought of them from her mind.  _Worrying about them before we face them isn't going to solve anything. We need to get a good night's sleep before we go to Needles. Just in case._

She nearly shrieked when Avi pulled her door open, so far into her own head she hadn't noticed him retrieving his bags from the back seat or even get out of the car. "You coming or what?" he asked, offering her his hand to help her out. She swiftly looked him over. He looked almost exactly how he had back in Holbrook: his hair pulled back into a knot and the free strands plastered to the side of his face and neck with water, squinting against the rain, but smiling all the same. Her stomach flipped hard, and her heart nearly stilled in her chest.  _Oh, no_.

Launa swallowed the sudden fear of the warmth in her rib cage and took his hand, screwing up her face at him in childishness to cover it. "I can get out on my own," she grumbled, yanking open the back door to retrieve her bags, slightly startled to find the box he'd grabbed from the store missing.  _He must have taken it_. She gulped.

"I like the rain," he said, grabbing her attention, "but I'm not keen on taking a shower fully clothed. Or getting hypothermia." She nodded, apologizing for her slow pace, and quickly whipped the bags out and jogged toward the house with Avi following close behind.

"Ugh," she groaned, dropping the bags onto the floor, "That rain isn't fuckin around." He hummed his agreement, quickly kicking off his boots as she swept her eyes over the house. It was a small, one-story thing-  _kind of cute, actually_. It looked as though there'd been a pair of roommates and nothing more. A couple of girls, judging by the furniture.

They gingerly hung their jackets on the coat-hanger, completely soaked through, and almost slid into the bathroom, which Launa called first to shed her wet clothes and change into dry ones. Pulling her hair out of her braid as she moved out of the way so Avi could swap his clothes, she made her way into one of the bedrooms. Upon spotting the multitude of family photos and stuffed animals in that room, she slyly scooted her way around to the other one, relieved to find it far more bare and blank.

Avi came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing a kiss to her neck. "Hey," he greeted, "You're blocking the door." She grinned as he settled his hands on her hips and attempted to walk her forward and out of the way.

"Move, bitch. Get out da way," she fake-rapped, and he buried his face into her shoulder, muffling his laughter. Everything felt a little strained and uncomfortable, and they were both trying to regain the ease in which they'd regarded one another for the past several months. "What's wrong with us?" She sighed, detaching herself reluctantly to sit on the edge of the large bed.

He shook his head and moved to sit beside her. "Nervousness?" he suggested with a shrug.

"Why?"

"I honestly have no idea," he answered with a small smile.

"Some help you are."

"I know."

They remained silent for a long while, Avi scratching idly at the back of his hand and Launa playing with the garnet pendant he'd given her.  _Awkward_. She stood suddenly, unable to stand the silence, and went to explore what she could of the house. She wandered, but didn't really retain any of the information her eyes were feeding into her brain, too preoccupied with her thundering heartbeat and the anxiety that pulled at her seams to really care.

His footsteps sounded down the little hallway, moving quietly toward her. Launa crossed her arms over her chest. Then moved them to her pants pockets. Then to prop on her hips.  _Get a **grip**_. "Launa?" he called, and she slowly turned to look at him, her heart jumping into her throat as she flicked her gaze over him, unwillingly noting that his hair was free from the knot and how the sweater he'd chosen hugged his shoulders. "Are you sure you're okay?"

She shook her head, finally unable to lie. "No," she answered truthfully, "I think I am, but all my vitals would say I'm not." He raised an eyebrow as she laughed nervously. "Y'know. Showing signs of nauseousness, increased heart rate, clammy as  _fuck_ -"

"I don't think that's a medical term."

"I don't really care, Avriel," she almost snapped, slowing her speaking to taste his name and how effortlessly it rolled off her tongue. Launa's hands shook hard and the butterflies refused to leave the vicinity of her stomach. _Why is he affecting me so much worse than usual?_

_Because you know what's coming._

_You can always say 'no'_ , she reminded herself, and almost almost hurt herself turning that thought around so quickly. Avi leaned against the wall, loosely crossing his arms over his chest and watching her intently, his gaze intense.  _How could I possibly say no to that?_

But she couldn't stop the nonsense from coming out of her mouth. "What do you want for dinner?" she babbled, turning to dig into the bags, "We've got the vast array of choices between soup and more soup, or there's some soup with- hey!" Avi cut her off, whirling her around to face him and firmly slashing his lips across hers. She gasped into his mouth as he wound his hand into her hair, cradling the back of her head, and pulling her flush against him. She let her hands settle on his shoulders, angling her head to kiss him deeper as she let the anxiety that'd been coursing through her system start to slip away. She still shook, her hands trembling as one went to rest against his neck, her thumb stroking his jaw line, even as he pulled away.

"I want you," he finally answered, voice far deeper than usual, vibrating her whole body, "But only if you're okay with this."

Launa hesitated, quickly running through the reasons why she shouldn't and finding nothing logical, only unreasonable paranoia. She nodded and opened her eyes to look directly at him. "Yes," she breathed. No sooner than she'd given him consent, his lips were on hers again, kissing her hungrily, pulling gently on her bottom lip and swiping his tongue over it, which she returned with fervor. He kissed down to her neck, easily finding the sensitive spots he'd mapped out. Chills ran through her, spreading through every nerve ending, and any bit of ice she'd made grow inside her melted instantly, pulled away by the fire he sent flying through her veins.

She buried her hands in his hair as he kissed and nipped over the sensitive flesh of her neck and collarbones, tugging lightly at the base of his skull and earning an appreciative rumble deep in his throat. Avi kissed a line back up to her mouth, capturing her lips, again, and he ran both hands down her back and over her rear, squeezing gently. She whimpered quietly into his mouth, running her tongue along his sharp teeth, giving a startled noise when he lifted her by her backside and she hooked her legs around him in response, reveling in the solid feeling of him between her thighs.

Disappointment had settled somewhere in the back of her skull, somehow still set in the notion that this was going to have to stop. Her heart leapt in her chest as he carried her back into the bedroom and gently laid her down on the mattress, realizing that  _no- this was actually happening and they didn't have to stop- oh **god**._  The realization seemed to kick up her senses, and she breathed him in, relishing in the warm, smooth taste of his mouth, the feel of his hair between her fingers and his weight on top of her. Avi's hands ran down her sides and up, again, to her back, lifting her easily to readjust her position on the bed and crawling up to join her, settling between her knees.

He broke the connection of their lips, kissing down her neck and collarbones, leaving a trail along the dip of the neckline of her shirt. She gave him another tug in his hair, and he paused, inhaling sharply and releasing it in a shuddering sigh as he lifted his head to look her in the eye. Launa drank in the image of him, his green eyes dark and almost wild, cheeks flushed and lips parted and swollen, a smirk playing on them. "Oh, you're bad," he murmured before returning to the task at hand.

Avi's hands, large and obscenely hot on her chilled skin, slid under her shirt, pushing it up to reveal her abdomen and he pressed kisses in a line, straight down along her sternum, between her breasts and to her stomach, ghosting over her navel. He nipped gently at her hipbones briefly and crawled back up, sliding his hands under her back to lift her. Launa's hands went to the hem of his sweater, slipping under it to press against his smooth, heated skin. She tugged, trying to alert him to the fact that this needed to be gone, _now_.

"Ladies first," he tutted at her, and she couldn't help the smile crossing her face as she helped him slide her shirt off, grinning wide at his surprised expression. "I was expecting a some sort of fight with a bra." he said simply, tossing the garment aside and raking his gaze down her figure.

"What?" she defended herself, shrugging, "I've only got the one, and it was wet." He snorted a laugh and she tugged again at the hem of his shirt. "Come on- off wth ya."

Obliging, Avi sat back and tugged the sweater over his head, dropping it over the edge of the bed before leaning in, again and reclaiming her lips. One hand went to cup her breast, and she shivered at the contact, biting back a noise as he gently bit her bottom lip, again, kneading it and grinning as he looked over his handiwork, his thumb flicking over her nipple. He bent, laving roughly at her other breast and smirking as she arched her back slightly, heat arcing down her spine.

Launa slid her hands up his bare back, relishing the feel of the muscles she could feel sliding under his skin, there, ghosting her fingers over the dip in his spine as he licked and nipped at her chest. She felt like she couldn't touch him enough, as if she needed memorize every curve and contour of his body under her fingers. He felt like molten lava under her hands, and she wanted to burn.

"Still okay?" the young man asked, voice muffled into her sternum. She nodded, inhaling deeply and trying to regain control of her breath, and she could feel his smirk on her skin as he kissed the path down her torso, again, his hand leaving her breast to rest on her hip, the other bracing his weight. Launa chanced a look down at him, her pulse quickening- if that was even possible, her heart felt like a panicked jackrabbit- as he tugged at the button and zipper of her pants with his teeth.

A small moan wrenched its way from her throat and her head fell back as he pressed his hand over her core, sliding his fingers over the seam of her jeans, surprising herself at the sound. " _Shit_ ," she hissed, "Sorry."

"Don't  _ever_  apologize for making noise," he growled against her thigh, " _Never_. Understand?" She nodded, still biting back the whimper that threatened to escape at his aggressive tone. ** _Dear Gods_** , she was positively  _burning_  for him. "I said, 'Do you understand'?" he demanded, smirking at her reaction.

"Yes," she whimpered, gasping as he ran his hand hard over her, again, and he crawled up to cover her whole body, "Yes, sir." Launa's eyes flew open and she clamped her mouth shut, mortified at the words that had just tumbled out.  _Did I really just say that?_

Avi grinned almost evilly down at her, bending to growl into her ear. " 'Sir'?" he purred, pressing a kiss under her ear, "I like it."

She didn't have a chance to protest or defend herself, her words and breath cut off as he slid his hand into her underwear, running his finger teasingly along her slit. She whimpered, a little louder than before, and reached out to grasp at his arm. The amount of power he had over her, now, should have frightened her. Every paranoid instinct screamed at her that no one should make her react outside of her control, like this, and she batted it away, completely drowned out by the heat of his hand just barely hovering above her. "You want me to touch you?" he teased, flicking his fingertip just above her aching core.

The ginger nodded, close to pleading as she dug her fingers into his bicep, gasping and arching as his fingers met the bundle of nerves, circling slowly on and around it. She moaned his name, parting her legs to give him better access. Avi kissed her, slowly, deeply, and she buried a hand back into his hair, tugging on the curls when he bumped over her clit, sliding down to tease at her slick entrance. She swore against his lips at the pleasure sparking through every nerve, rolling her hips against the motion of his hand as he slid a finger into her. "Good?" he asked, pressing his lips to her forehead briefly, smirking as she whimpered something positive and shuddered a sigh as he added another, slowly pumping in and out, his thumb continuing to circle her clit.

Launa snapped out of the hazy fog of pleasure he'd captured her in and tugged hard on his hair, his head snapping back and he stilled, shocked at the suddeness and let out a low moan. She flipped him over, removing any and all contact they'd previously had, smirking as she pinned him down. "You," she said, poking him on the nose, "Stay." She quickly removed herself from the bed, standing to shimmy her jeans off of her legs, her cheeks becoming hot under his gaze as he watched, smirking.

He looked her up and down, watching her hips wiggle the denim off and, much to her combined horror and intense interest, licked his fingers clean of her, heaving a contented sigh and giving a soft moan around the appendages. "I'm not sure whether to think that's hot or gross," she said, finally, hooking her thumbs into the waistband of her underwear. Avi just laughed and beckoned her back to him with a crook of his finger.

"Let's go with the former, since that's what I was aiming for," he replied, brushing her hands away from her undergarments as she came back, "I'll take care of those, thank you." She grumbled something incomprehensible at him, almost yelping in surprise as he yanked on her hand, sending her sprawling onto him. The impatience was wearing on them, but it seemed to be a silent agreement between them that they were going to take their time and enjoy this,  _dammit_.

He made to kiss her, but she moved away, smirking as he groaned in disappointment and slung her leg over his thighs, making herself shed the anxiety and the stress she'd been hiding under. Launa bent over him to kiss his collarbone, drinking in his pleasured sighs and gasps, mirroring his earlier actions by scraping her teeth over the tendons in his neck. He moaned aloud as she sank her teeth into his flesh, one hand running down his torso, raising goosebumps on his skin. "You're loud," she observed quietly, licking over the bite and up to the corner of his jaw.

"I know," he groaned, "I've been told I shouldn't be."

Launa pulled back, looking at him incredulously. "Well, fuck whoever said that," she snapped, angry at the nameless person, "I happen to like it."

"Truth?"

"Truth."

Avi bit his lip as she kissed down his chest and scooted forward to straddle his hips, rolling her pelvis against his, drawing a low, rumbling moan to tear itself from him. His hands went to her hips, gripping her hard and swearing. She grinned and looked up at him, her hands busying themselves with undoing his belt and tossing it to the floor. "Now  _that's_  what I'm talkin' about," she said, brushing her hand over the front of his jeans, his fingers digging into her hips as he hissed and bucked up into her. He watched her work, his breath hitching as she deftly flicked the button and zip open, then hesitated, snapping her gaze up to his.

"What's wrong?" he asked, worried at her alarmed expression.

She bit her lip. "I just realized we're forgetting, the er-"

He scrambled up from the bed, nearly falling on his face as he rolled off and sprinted out the bedroom door and back in again, fighting with the flaps of the box. "Did they use fucking concrete on this?" he grumbled, nearly ripping the whole thing apart to get into it.

After fighting with it, creating an awkward silence, Avi sounded a triumphant 'aha', pulling a single package out, and Launa found herself blushing and wanting to hide, again. As if sensing her unease, he hid it behind his back and bent to kiss her. "Just lay down," he instructed, "and close your eyes. I've got this."

She paused for a moment, then stood just in front of him, smiling sweetly, much to his confusion. She set one hand on his hip and the other dove into his pants, relieved to find him without underwear, and wrapped her hand around him, watching his eyes go wide for a moment then squeeze shut. A long, deep moan vibrated the heated air around them as he leaned his forehead on hers, his free hand going to her shoulder as she slid her hand over him, once, twice, and releasing after running her fingers teasingly over the tip . Launa grinned at him, heat shooting through her at his pleasured expression, his breath heavy, and she quickly moved away and hopped onto the bed, crossing her arms behind her head and closing her eyes.

She heard him remain still for a moment, gulping down a breath. "You," he declared, the tearing of plastic meeting her ears, "are evil."

"Damn right," she agreed, listening intently for the sound of heavy denim hitting the floor, the mattress dipping under his weight a moment later and a scratchy kiss meeting her lips. She hummed appreciatively as he kissed her slowly and pulled the covers slightly over them before his hands went to her hips, his thumbs hooking under the waistband.

"You still sure?" Avi mumbled against her lips, nipping gently at her lower lip.

"Gods,  _yes_ ," she breathed, running her hands up his chest and over his shoulders, relishing the feel of his skin on hers. She helped him slide her underwear off, suddenly feeling very exposed and nervous once more. He pulled the second pillow from under her head and slid it under her rear, lifting her hips, and, without warning, slid his fingers against her, slipping into her briefly to spread the moisture that had formed there. She gasped at the contact, moaning softly as he touched her. "Come  _on_ , Avi," she groaned.

He smiled at her, and, placing a hand on her hip, he slowly slid into her, watching her face for discomfort and, finding none, allowed his head to drop to her shoulder. Launa's breath caught in her throat, her eyes squeezing shut at the incredible  _full_  feeling, her nails digging into his back as she held on for dear life. "Holy shit," he swore into her shoulder, gasping for breath.

She grinned and rolled slowly against him, urging him to move. "No, no, no, please stop," he mumbled, gripping the sheets hard, every muscle pulled taut, "Just give me a second."

"Wow, already?" Launa teased, poking him in the side, "You promised me a good time. If this ends quickly, I want my money back."

Avi laughed and kissed her neck. "Be nice," he scolded, "It's been awhile."

"It has for me, too!" she argued, "And I'm not losing my- _oh_." She was cut off as he rolled his hips achingly slowly into her hard, and her head lolled back because  _dear God_ , that was good. "Oh, fuck."

He laughed low into her neck. "My sentiments, exactly," he agreed, pulling out until only the head was left inside her, then thrust back in. They picked up a rhythm, their hips moving together in time, only falling out of sync once before quickly correcting themselves, his fingers sliding against her bundle of nerves, harder, upon her instruction. She hooked her legs around his waist, her nails dragging down his back when he angled his hips upwards, unable to contain her answering moan and drinking in every one of his.

They moved steadily, steadily, faster, faster as heat coiled deep within them, and and  ** _and_** \- Launa shuddered hard, moaning aloud and arching as the heat exploded inside her, fire sparking through every nerve ending, and she squeezed hard around him. He thrust hard into her one last time a few moments later, muscles going rigid and shaking, suddenly unable to hold his own weight and slowly sank down on top of her, his forehead resting against her collarbone.

They gulped in air, every last muscle shuddering, and Launa wrapped her arms around his shoulders, feeling dizzy from the pleasure and a thin sheet of sweat covering the both of them. "Whoa," she breathed, finally, after a long silence that was only broken by their labored breathing.

Avi just laughed, almost hysterically, wracking his whole body as he carefully pulled out, moving unsteadily to the side and kissing her sloppily, combing his fingers through her hair. "Actually decent?" he asked, his voice heavy and deep with satiation.

She snorted, running her hands down his slick back. "Yeah, I guess it was alright," she teased.

He raised an eyebrow at her, before smirking. "Give me a few minutes, woman," he purred, "I'll give you more than alright."

Launa yelped as he took advantage of the large bed and rolled her over, tangling their limbs and laughing. Her skin tingled under his touch, and she couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so damned happy.


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥

Launa woke slowly, inhaling deeply and finding it difficult to move her limbs. She felt heavy and weightless at the same time, as though she were drifting, and she was suddenly hit with a flood of memories from the previous evening- heat moving between them like water, Avi's talented mouth, teasing and joking and kissing and touching and  _oh_ \- she blushed at the memory, biting her lip as she blinked her eyes open. Avi was still passed out cold, a smattering of bruises lining his neck and his hair mussed beyond control.

She propped her head up in one hand, letting her fingers comb gently through his curls and trace the line of his jaw, admiring the subtlety of his cheekbones and the curve of his mouth.  _You are the most beautiful human being I have ever laid eyes on._  The truth in the thought hit her hard, leaving her a little light-headed at the honesty of it. Tucking a section of her deep red hair behind her ear, she leaned forward and pressed a feather-light kiss to his lips, giving a surprised yelp when he suddenly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, giving her a firmer kiss. "Good morning," he breathed, squinting his eyes open and brushing her hair away from her face.

She grinned wide at him, running a hand up his chest and onto his shoulder. "Hey, there," she greeted, "Feeling better?"

Avi snorted a little, smiling and sliding his fingers along her spine. "I was, actually, yes," he replied before moving in closer, his hand going to brush against her lower back, causing a shiver to run through her, "But, I think my craving for ginger's returned." She giggled at his cheesiness as he kissed her jaw, rolling them over to brace himself above her, nipping along her neck.

"Avi," she laughed, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, grinning at the hardness against her thigh, "You dog."  
______

They collapsed, a bit later, Launa laying on his chest and still straddling his hips, trying to catch their breath. "Petition to start every day like this?" she asked, wincing and gingerly pulling herself off of him, and moving to lay against his side.

He nodded, running a hand through her hair, gulping in a deep breath. "Petition signed. Wholeheartedly," he agreed, sighing happily and kissing her cheek, humming appreciatively, "Morning sex is nice."

She hummed in agreement, propping her floaty head up and idly counting the freckles on his shoulders, basking in the warmth of him as her skin sang and they caught their breath. He groaned, rubbing a hand over his face and squinting at the window. "We need to get up, don't we?" Launa asked, pausing at freckle number twenty-six.

Avi grumbled and sighed, annoyed. "Yeah, if we want to get to Needles with some light to spare," pausing, he pressed a long kiss to her jaw, making her grin, "Come on."

She grumped, rolling off the bed and taking the blankets with her, landing with a thud. He peered over the edge of the mattress at her, resting his chin on his crossed arms. "Can't we just teleport?"

"Beam me up, Scotty," he snorted.  
______

The rest of the morning passed without incident and, surprisingly, without much change in their attitude toward one another. For the most part. Launa caught him smirking at her as she braided her hair, realizing that she was sporting a rather angry-looking mark where her neck met her shoulder. She threw a towel at him, mocking anger as he made a comment about them looking like teenagers after prom night.

"You're far too proud of yourself, you ass," she remarked, tying her long braid off and readjusting her shirt, clothes suddenly feeling strange.

Avi came up behind her, kissing his handiwork and grinning at her. "Maybe a little bit." He laughed as she gently shoved him, muttering about him being a dork with a smile. "Hey, you did a number on me, too, so don't be calling me a dork."

Launa allowed herself a glance at the reddest bite mark on his neck.  _Okay, so maybe I'm a little proud, too. Whatever._  
______

They bid farewell to Yucca, the car roaring back to life as Avi manipulated the wiring with Launa piling their stuff into the back and retrieving their newly dried clothes from the bathroom. She ducked into the bedroom, swiftly surveying the room to check for anything they might have left. All of their clothes? Check. Knives? Check. Supplies they managed to take? Check. She spotted the box Avi had struggled with the previous night, still full of the little packages, and she snatched it from the floor.  _Yeah, we're keeping those._

Stuffing it into one of the bags, she slid into the passenger seat. "Alright," she said, buckling in and slamming her door shut, "Get us out of here, baby." When the car didn't move, she looked over to find Avi grinning wide at her. "What?"

He leaned over and gave her a loud, comical smooch on the cheek, even as she screwed up her face. "You called me 'baby'." Without another word, he peeled them out of Yucca, tires squealing for a moment on the damp concrete. Launa, despite having to grab a hold of the oh-shit-handle, smiled at his ridiculous grin.

Where they had were hard and tense the day before, she felt loose and relaxed, sprawling lazily in her seat. She felt warm, loved, and she couldn't help but laugh when he started singing, instantly recognizing The Proclaimers best known song.

"What?" Avi asked, shrugging, "It's the best travel song!"

"That is true," she agreed, and started miming marching, singing, "But I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more..." They couldn't quite remember all of the lyrics and made up their own halfway through. "No, no- it's 'havering to you'," she insisted.

"What the hell is 'havering'?!"

They debated the possible meaning, eventually writing it off as something extremely Scottish, and continued singing, laughing as they passed over the word, once more. Avi fell into the bassline, leaving her to sing the lyrics that neither of them were entirely sure of.  
______

The desert sand was dark and misshapen from the downpour, entire sections moved by the near-floodlike rain they'd had. It was still clear out, leaving them and the vehicle bathed in a soft, warm glow that steadily increased in intensity as the sun continued its journey across the sky.

As they carried on, Launa felt the uneasiness creep back into the space between them. Needles seemed to be looming over them, casting a shadow over the formerly jovial pair. She watched Avi shift his grip on the steering wheel, almost constantly, and bite his lip. He was just as nervous as she was, and their previous fear slithered up their spines.

The stretch of highway curved around a set of mountains. "Avi," she breathed, her whole body going ice cold at the sight that met them as they turned the corner.

"I see them," he replied, slowing the car and breaking the connection of the wires.

They sat in silence and utter shock, leaning back in their seats as they took in the sight before them. Just slightly off in the distance, nestled up against the waters of the lake and the mountains and outside the limits of what used to be needles, was a settlement. Tents and pavillions, and they could see the movement of living creatures- flitting about and moving in and out of various tents. Human beings.


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter contains violence and slight gore. Proceed with caution.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! ♥

They sat still and silent, staring ahead at the settlement less than a mile away. "What should we do?" Avi breathed, almost afraid to disturb the silence.

Launa couldn't move, frozen stiff with fear. "I don't know," she cringed at the high, shuddering voice that escaped her throat. She sounded like a child. She  _felt_  like a child. She reached for her companion's hand, finding that he was mirroring the movement. "I'm scared," she admitted, quietly.

He grasped her hand tightly, repeatedly running his thumb over her knuckles. "Me, too."  
______

The found themselves crunching over the desert sands, parking about a quarter of a mile away, not wanting anyone to get into it while they ventured toward the other humans, but wanting it relatively close should they need to escape in a hurry. They brought one bag apiece, leaving two in the car that they could afford to lose, if absolutely necessary.

It was eerily quiet, and every breath seemed to echo off the mountain on their right. The gravel shifted noisily beneath their heavy boots. Launa had relocated her stiletto blade to her sleeve. Avi hid his knife under his coat, but kept his hand hovering just above it.

The flitting movements amongst the crudely strewn-up tents seemed to slow, some ceasing entirely, as they approached. A human slowly came into view- a little girl, maybe ten, peeked around the corner of a tent, her little face smattered with dirt and her tight curls in disarray.

Breathing a nervous sigh, Launa leaned over, still several feet away, but bending to the girl's height- she was far less likely to frighten her than Avi. "Hello," she greeted softly, "I'm Launa. What's your-" The girl's ear-splitting shriek cut her off as she fled into the village.

The two of them traded nervous looks as she straightened. "Should we..?" she started, gesturing behind them.

"Yeah," came the low, panicked answer. They turned to leave, and were stopped short by a loud, booming voice.

" **Stop where you are!** "

They paused midstep, glancing to each other, eyes wide with panic, before turning on their heels to face the settlement once more. The sight that met them made Launa's blood run cold: About twenty to thirty men and women, young and old, stood their ground before them, poised with knives and hatchets, and one, more terrifyingly, with a gun. She gulped, and she could see Avi's fingers twitching toward the knife on his thigh. She considered allowing her stiletto to drop into her hand, but there was no denying that they were severely outnumbered.

"Who are you?" The middle-aged man who handled the pistol stepped forward, grey at the temples with a bristly mustache that reminded her of a walrus. "What do you want?"

Avi glanced to her, catching her gaze. She gestured to herself, and he nodded. She would speak. "We just wanted to meet other survivors," she replied, "It's good to see we aren't the only ones who lived."

The man snorted at her and shifted his grip on the gun. "Why should we trust you?" he growled, his lip curling.

She was unsure of what to do with her body. Stand wide and square her shoulders to appear sturdy and risk looking like a threat? Or shrink and look small and risk looking like an easy target? "Why _shouldn't_  you trust us?" Avi interjected, sliding closer to her, eyes flicking quickly between each person before them.

"Son," the older man responded, "I'm not here to indulge in philosophical bullshit. I'm here take care of these people and eliminate threats."

"So, we're a threat?" her partner almost snarled, "Why the hell are we?"

"Because the group we sent out for food should have been back by now!," the other shouted, hard lines around his eyes deepening with rage, "And for all we know, you might have killed them! You might be thieves, cannibals, or worse!" Shouts of agreement came from the mob behind him. Launa screwed her face up in disgust. _What could possibly be worse than a cannibal? Ew._

The older man stepped forward, again, raising his arm to aim his gun at them. Ice ran through her veins. Avi moved in front of her, blocking her completely from sight, standing wide. "Don't. You. **Dare.** " he thundered, reaching for the knife on his leg, "Why are you doing this? Why are we not allowed, here?"

The opposition scoffed, and the people behind him seemed to grow even tenser. "I've got to make sure everyone gets their fill, kid," he replied, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world, "I don't need more mouths to feed." The younger man pulled his knife free, his jaw set at an aggressive angle. "Do you really think that waving that thing around is gonna help you? It can't do anything to help you."

"I think it might!" Launa piped up, poking out from around Avi's shoulder, fighting him as he tried to shove her back, "Because that particular Glock you have is a jamming piece of shit." Silence fell for a long moment. The sound of a trigger pull sounded, and one of a jammed gun followed immediately after. Its handler, horrified, looked it over, then back to her. She shrugged. "I told you."

" **Get them out of here!** " The order was shouted, and, before they knew what happened, they were being swarmed by angry people. They didn't need to communicate. They just needed to run.

Avi grasped for her hand and tugged her hard. They didn't dare glance over their shoulders, setting their sights on the car.

_Why does it feel so far away?!_

_Run run run **RUN**_

They ran as fast as their legs could carry them, sprinting over the desert gravel and sand.

_Faster, **GO.**_

The thunderous noise of a stampede followed them, enraged shouts chasing at their heels.

**_GO_ **

She vaguely registered Avi's voice calling to her to run.

One second her hand was grasped tight in his as he pulled her along, slightly ahead of her. The next, he was on the ground with a shocked cry and she was pulled to a stop, her hand sliding free from his. Her eyes widened in horror as he was pounced upon, a teenaged boy gripping his throat as another woman made a grab for her. A scream of rage tore from Launa's throat, and, with strength she hadn't know she possessed, slammed her fist into her attacker's face.

The boy pinning Avi grabbed a handful of his hair and pounded his skull once,  _hard_ , into the ground. Her partner's head lolled back, eyes fluttering, fighting to stay open and shoving at the younger male before falling unconscious. She lunged at the kid, pinning him under her and-

_Am I hurt?_

Launa stared, almost lethargically, as blood pooled onto the gravel and sand beneath the boy. A shriek of fury snapped her back, and a woman was running at her. The redhead stood and, using her forward momentum-

Her attacker fell to the ground, limp, with a sickening _thud._

The rest of the mob that had chased them had gone still for a moment, and Launa used the time she had with their shock to heave Avi onto her back, along with both of their bags and drag him to the car.

_Am I hurt?_

_There's still blood._

_I don't understand._

_I don't feel hurt._

_Avi's hurt, but I don't think he's bleeding that much._

The stampede of footsteps seemed to have decreased in the amount of people, but followed her, all the same. She hauled her partner into the passenger side and shut the door behind him.

"Don't  _fuck_  with me!" she screamed as two men came at her. They pinned her to the side of the car and-

Launa found herself in the driver's side of the car, bent over to get at the wires.  _Just like Avi taught you just like Avi taught you just like Avi taught just like just like just like just like-_  the vehicle roared to life and she laughed in triumph, even as their attackers pounded on the sides of the car.

_Skinny pedal on the right?_

_Skinny pedal on the right._

She slammed on the gas pedal, unsteadily gripping the wheel and tearing forward, leaving the group in the dust and swerving wildly past the village of tents.   
______

Driving wasn't so difficult, she found, and got the hang of it as she followed the line of the river, having crossed over it- and that seemed to shake the hostile humans off their trail. She pulled the car over and broke the connection of wires and sat back heavily against the seat. Launa reached up and wiped at a tickling sensation on her face, pulling back her hand to find a mixture of wet and drying blood.

She quickly checked herself over: she was sporting a few cuts, several bruises, and maybe a sore rib or two, but she was otherwise, unharmed.  _So, this blood isn't mine._

_Maybe it's Avi's?_

**_Avi._ **

Launa whirled in her seat and knelt on it, straddling the gear shift area to get a closer look at her unconscious partner. He was bleeding from his head, where the boy had slammed him into the ground. Panicking, she patted his face, tugging on his jacket and calling his name. "Avi? Avi, wake up. Come on, dude, wake up." He didn't respond. She held two fingers against the pulse point in his neck, relieved to find a steady heartbeat. She gripped the front of his shirt tight, shaking him hard in an attempt to wake him.

Nothing. She swallowed hard, blinking back frightened tears. "Come  _on_ , Avriel!" she shouted, smacking his cheek, "Wake the fuck up!  _Avi!_ " He didn't budge. _Smack._  "Wake up!"

_Smack._

_Shake._

"Come on!!"

_Smack._

**_Smack._ **

"Avi, _please!_ " She moved to sit in his lap, shaking him violently by the lapels of his coat. "Please. _Please._ " Fear coursed through her entire being. Her fingers were like ice.  _He **has**  to wake up._

_I don't know what to do._

Her arms went limp, terror and dread weighing her down. "No, see," she told Avi's unconscious form, "You  _have_  to wake up. If you have a concussion, you need to be awake, or you might..." She covered her mouth with one hand, tears tumbling down her bloodstained cheeks, biting back the terrified sobs that threatened to overtake her.

_No. No no no no no no no._

**_Get it together._ **

"Come on!!" she screamed. Her throat was raw. Her lungs burned. Her arms were sore and heavy.

Her partner could be dying.

Rage ran through her like a wildfire, and she pounded on his chest, her voice hoarse and tight as she tried to wake him. Launa hit him until her arms couldn't move anymore. Exhaustion washed over her.

_Please._

Her forehead met his collarbone. "Please, wake up," she pleaded, her voice hanging in the dull silence of the vehicle, "Please." Quiet enveloped the pair.

A deep, pained groan rumbled her head where it rested against him. She whipped her head up to look at him. Avi ran a hand over his face and coughed, squinting at her. "Were you beating me up?" he asked, voice strained.

Launa gave a relieved laugh, unable to tear her eyes away. "You son of a bitch," she swore at him, wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight embrace, trying hard not to cry, "I fucking hate you, I swear to God."

He slid his hands up her back, returning the strength of her hug with fervor. "No, you don't," he laughed into her hair, wincing in pain at the noise, "My head hurts."

She pulled back, kissing him on the cheek. "Hold that thought." She reached into the back seat to get into her medicines pocket, pulling out painkillers, a bandage, and gauze. Carefully, she wrapped his head up, finding that the bleeding was a tiny bit more serious than previously thought, and he swallowed down painkillers. "Better?" she asked, keeping her voice low to avoid disturbing his headache.

Avi nodded and smiled as she sat in the driver's seat. "Thanks," he murmured, his eyes fluttering shut. Launa smacked him on the arm. "I'm not sleeping, I swear." He took a moment to look out the windows, frowning. "Where are we?"

"I drove us just across the river and a bit down," she explained, "We're a little ways away, just south of Needles. I'm still nervous about how close we are to the settlement, though."

He sighed. "Man, they  _really_  didn't like strangers."

"Understatement of the century."

They laughed quietly for a moment, until Avi squinted at her face. "This blood isn't yours, right?" She realized that smears of blood were still on her cheeks, and she quickly grabbed a wet wipe she'd had the foresight of packing to wipe it off.

"No," she admitted quietly, "I don't know whose it is. You didn't bleed this much." Launa went cold. "Oh Gods. Did I kill someone?"

Her dark-haired companion glanced her face over for a moment. "Hey," he breathed, "Come here." She did as she was told, hesitantly, leaning her head on Avi's seat. "You drove us here?" She nodded. "And you carried my heavy ass  _and_  the bags?" She nodded again. "And you may or may not have fucked some people up?" Another nod. He grinned wide and rested a hand on her cheek, swaying his thumb over her jawline and kissing her softly.

Launa smiled, despite her confusion. " _That's_  your response to my potential murderer status?" She shivered and logged that away. She would deal with that particular trauma, later.

She watched as he wet his lips, a warm smile still upon them. "You kicked ass while I was asleep on the job," he said, running his fingers along the braid laying over her shoulder, "I'm proud of you."

He gestured her over, and she climbed into his lap as he reclined the seat, tucking her head under his chin and resting her hand over his heart, listening contentedly to the muffled rumble of his voice in her ear, not able to make out what he'd said, but enjoying his voice, all the same. She couldn't deny the chill that settled in her stomach at the holes in her memory, but both she and Avi were alive, and that's all that mattered. She'd get therapy, later.


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥

After carefully tending to the relatively small, bruised split in Avi's scalp, they switched places, Launa refusing to drive, again, and had every intention of dropping stealthily into Needles to grab extra supplies, and another knife for him, as he'd dropped it in the scuffle. They drove north as far as they could, slowing to a halt and staring in horror at the sight before them.

Needles had fallen at least halfway into the ground. A split in the skin of the earth, brought on by an earthquake, no doubt, arced across the ruined city and well across the highway, blocking their path. They ventured out of the car and stood at the edge of the split, peering down into the gaping maw.

"Well," Avi broke the horrified silence, propping his hands on his narrow hips, "I guess we're not going that way."  
______

They sat in the car the next morning, Avi searching the map for an alternate route to Los Angeles as Launa gave a disgusted once-over to her blood-stained stiletto.  _What the fuck did I do?_

"How about this," he said, cutting off her thoughts, "We go south to Salton Sea, and head west from there?" He traced the map with his finger, showing her exactly where they'd be going.

She leaned over, resting her cheek against his shoulder. "Yeah, okay," she agreed, "Just so long as there's no more hostile-ass people, I'm good."

He offered her a grin and bent to kiss her cheek. "I make no promises," he murmured against her skin, kissing a line to her mouth, "But I'm not laying down on the job, next time."

Launa hummed against his lips, her eyes fluttering shut as he kissed her. "Can there just not be a next time?" she asked as he pulled away, running a hand over his shoulder.

"I hope not," Avi sighed, bending to hotwire the car and squinting at the gasometer, nodding in approval at the half of a tank left, "That was the opposite of fun." He flicked his gaze over at her, looking her over for a moment as she sat back in her seat, buckling in. "Hey."

"What's up?" she responded, meeting his gaze.

He paused, opening his mouth, then shook his head. "Nothing, sorry," he dismissed it, stepping on the gas and turning them around, rattling down the gravelly sands and back onto the highway.

"No, what?" Launa demanded, annoyed, "You keep doing that."

"Don't worry about it," he said, reaching over and running a hand over her braid, "I just lost what I was going to say, is all." She squinted at him, suspicious of his words. She smelled a lie, but decided to let it drop. _I'll get it out of him one way or another. Later._  
______

The gigantic crack stalked their path down the highway for a long while, following them and nearly dipping into the road, itself. Launa watched as it arced and danced alongside them, eventually shrinking and fading out completely, at least five miles down the road. She peered at the gasometer and back to the map. "Are you sure this thing will get us to Salton Sea?"

Avi glanced nervously at the dash, then back at the road. "Mostly."

She looked back at the map, ice sliding into her stomach. Being stranded in the desert was one of the last things either of them wanted, right now, especially in such a vulnerable state. Avi's head was still healing, and Launa was sore almost everywhere, with bruises blooming on her torso, legs and arms. She grumbled at the deep purple marks, but felt pride swelling up in her chest when Avi smiled and told her they were 'proof she'd kicked ass and took names'. She took them as proof that she could protect herself and who she cared for.

She rolled her shoulders, stretching the sore muscles. "Looks like this will be about a three hour drive," she said, folding up the map, "Think it'll handle that?"

She watched him glance at the gasometer, again, biting his lip as he considered it. "Yeah, I think so."

The highway took them through a long stretch of desert, dry and cracked terrain surrounding them with the ocassional mountain just off the side. They had the opportunity to divert their path to Parker, but decided against it. Salton Sea had plenty of residential areas surrounding it, and if they needed to stock up, they'd have plenty of chances.  
______

Half a mile after they'd passed a resort in the middle of the desert, the car was sputtering fumes, and finally slowed to a stop. Avi growled in annoyance, sitting back heavily and stomping repeatedly on the gas pedal, even after the car had halted completely. "Dammit," he grumbled, sighing and running his hand over his face, "Well, it looks like we're walking."

Launa groaned and opened the door, rolling out of the car and onto her feet, wincing in pain. "This fucking sucks," she complained, retrieving her two bags and heaving them out of the back seat and onto her shoulders.

"I know, baby," Avi sighed, mirroring her actions, "Do you want me to take one?"

She glared, almost offended. "I've got this," she grumped, "Let's get out of here."  
______

She'd forgotten how much slower walking was. What should have been a three-hour drive became a two-day walk, even after the ground they'd covered in the car. They trudged on over sand and gravel, crunching over the desert like they'd done for four months. They found themselves glancing over their shoulders from time to time, nervous that they'd been followed. They hadn't, but that didn't shake their paranoia.

They paused at midday, gulping down water and checking over their injuries. Avi's hair had matted, somewhat, where it had met with blood, and the damage wasn't as bad as it had appeared, the day before. Launa's knee protested the overuse it had received over the past two days, but was soothed under her companion's careful prodding.

"Hey," she called softly, gesturing for him to come closer as they sat on the dusty ground. She pulled on his shoulder to lean him over as he sat directly beside her, bending him over to press a careful kiss to the spot next to his fresh bandage.

He just smiled at her, his eyes crinkling as he murmured a thanks and brushed hand across the small of her back. Launa shivered, annoyed at the goosebumps that raised on her skin in response to an innocent touch. She flicked her eyes over Avi's face, finding him smirking at her.  _So, maybe it wasn't as innocent as I thought._  
______

They set up the tent later, that night, and heaved themselves into it, both groaning in pain and laying still and limp on the ground. S _o much for that not-so-innocent touch­,_  she thought grumpily, squirming with a building need to touch his skin, again. _I thought that finally sleeping together would stave this off, but it's only gotten worse._

Launa took a deep breath, steadying herself as Avi curled against her back.  _No, we're both in a lot of pain. Sex is **not**  going to help that._ She felt his lips meet her neck, kissing from her jaw to her shoulder and fought any noises that threatened to escape from her throat. "Avi," she breathed shakily as he continued the onslaught. He only hummed in response, vibrating her whole body. "We shouldn't.

He groaned into her skin. "Why not?" he asked between kisses, moving to nip at her neck, smirking at the way she twitched in response.

She gulped down a breath of air as he settled his hand on her hip, pulling her backside flush against his hips. "Because we're both in pain," she said, resisting the urge to grind back on him, "and we're exhausted. We need sleep."

After a slight pause, Avi sighed and ceased his assault on her neck. "I hate it when you're right."

"I'm always right."

"Not always."

"Most of the time."

He laughed and buried his nose in the hair at the back of her neck. "Goodnight, Launa." She grinned, returning the phrase and relaxing into his heat.


	42. Chapter 42

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter is NSFW.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! ♥

Avi woke slowly, yet suddenly. Something tugged on the edges of his mind, pulling him from his sleep. He barely registered anything, at first- not Launa’s absence from his arms, the heaviness of his breath, or the unusual warmth spreading throughout his limbs. He reached out sluggishly, searching for the redhead and hissed as pleasure sparked up his spine.

"What the fuck," he slurred, still waking, his breath hitching as another wave of  _oh, yes_  hit him. His eyes flew open, sliding his gaze around to find Launa and propping himself up on his elbows. His breath caught in his throat as he located her, straddling his knees and her mouth wrapped around the tip of his erection.

She let it fall from her mouth, keeping a hand firmly around him, smiling sheepishly. “Uh, hi,” she greeted, “You were having a, uh,  _good_  dream and I couldn’t sleep. So, yeah.”

"But, why the hell-," he cut off, sitting up completely and running a hand over his face, unsure of whether to be incredibly turned on or mortified, "You don’t have to do anything when that happens, Launa, and I’m sorry I-"

"If I didn’t want to, I wouldn’t be down here, now would I?" she challenged him, sitting up slightly, nodding at his answering silence, "I should’ve asked, somehow, but are you okay with this?"

Avi laughed incredulously, almost hysterically. “You woke me up with a blow job. I think I’m more than a little okay.”

Launa grinned and leaned back down, holding his gaze and sliding his undone pants a little further down his legs. “Good,” she purred, giving him a teasing lick. He curled his fingers hard into the tent material beneath them, leaning back on his hands and hissing at the contact, unable to look away. “Don’t you dare keep quiet, either.” He nodded, silently promising.

He watched as she slowly slid her lips over the head of his erection, sucking softly and he bit his lip, his breathing getting heavier as she slid down him. He swore quietly under his breath as she slid back up, running her tongue teasingly along the underside and pleasure shot through him, making him release a soft moan. Avi reached down to thread his fingers through her hair, watching, entranced, as she picked up a slow rhythm, his head rolling back and his eyes fluttering shut when she sucked particularly hard on the head. “ _Fuck_ ,” he swore, his mouth falling open, cheeks flushed and tightening his grip in Launa’s hair.

Bobbing her head, she glanced up at him, drinking in every reaction she got from him. She pulled off of him with a soft ‘pop’ and slid her hand over his length, amused to see him slowly sinking down to lay on his back. “Good?” she asked, pride shooting through her as he whimpered in response, gasping when she flicked her tongue over the leaking, salty tip.

"Launa," he breathed, voice shaky and deep, letting his hand fall from her hair and bucking into her hand, "How long were you at this before I woke up?"

She pressed her lips against his heated flesh, humming as she thought and fighting a grin when he twitched at the vibration of her voice. “Five or ten minutes?” She heard him swear, again, his head thunking onto the floor of the tent. “Why?” she purred, licking a long, slow line from the base of his length to the tip and listening, amused, to the strangled moan in his throat. “You close?”

Avi nodded, biting his lip hard. “Please,” he pleaded quietly as she continued to slide her hand up and down, thumbing over him, “God,  _please_.” He moaned loud and long as she swallowed him down, again, with no warning, squeezing his eyes shut and scratching his nails into the floor of the tent as pleasure washed over him, centered around the wet warmth and gentle suction of her mouth.

She picked up her rhythm, again, keeping one hand curled around the base of him and the other pinning his hip to keep him steady. Launa listened to him start to babble, his voice a mixture of barely coherent words and moans, and picked up the pace. She ran her hand up from his hip to his lower abdomen, sliding over his stomach and feeling the muscles contract there. “Baby, I’m gonna..,” he warned her, sliding a hand back into her hair and tugging lightly. She sucked hard on the head, running her tongue along the underside once more until he thrust up into her, a moan erupting from his throat and arching his back, muscles rigid and shuddering as he came.

His head swam with pleasure, hazily coming back down from his high, unsure of how much time had passed until Launa pushed a bottle of water into his hand. He mumbled a thanks, glancing over at her, catching her smirking at him, even as she drained half of her own water bottle. He ran a hand through his hair, catching his breath. “You,” he slurred, grappling for words just out of reach, “ _Whoa_.”

She grinned at him, capping her water before leaning over and kissing his cheek. “Don’t mention it,” she murmured, pulling away only to be pulled back in as Avi kissed her firmly, yet sloppily. She smiled into the kiss, sliding her fingers into his hair as he pressed her flush against him, kissing her slowly.

He broke the contact of their lips, flopping his head back onto the floor, grinning dopily and reaching up to cup her cheek, running his thumb over her cheekbone. “It was good, then?” Launa asked, resting her fingers against the back of his hand.

He opened his mouth to speak, but settled for nodding enthusiastically, his movements lethargic. “I, uh,” he trailed off, “Bop. That’s it.”

" ‘Bop’?"

"Bop." She laughed and shook her head, assuming that that was the noise of his brain short-circuiting and feeling quite proud of herself. "What about you?" he asked, genuinely concerned.

Launa shook her head at him. “Nah, I’m good,” she replied, shivering as he slid his fingers down against the side of her neck, “It’s still super early. Want to get some more sleep?”

The speed of his blinking had decreased dramatically, and he fought a yawn, gesturing for her to lay with him. “I don’t think I really have a choice,” Avi mumbled, screwing up his face in annoyance as he suddenly remembered to do up his pants, again, “C’mere.”

Sleepiness seemed to permeate the air of the tent, infectious as she settled down against his side and resting her head on his shoulder. He slid his arms around her shoulders and waist, pulling her close and sighing, contented. Launa smiled at his behavior and combed her fingers through his loose hair under the bandage. “Good night, again.” she whispered. He grunted in response, starting to snore softly not a moment later.  
______

They woke, again, later in the morning, and at a more reasonable time. Avi was still slightly shaky, unable to stop smiling as they packed up. Launa’s espression was very much the same, slinging her bags onto her back as they headed out. “You know, I’m getting you back for that, right?” he called as they started walking, breathing in the warm, dusty desert air.

Heat pooled low in her belly. “Right,” she drawled, rolling her eyes mockingly.  _Oh, Gods, I hope so. Pleasepleaseplease-_  she cut that line of thought off, shutting down her hormones and focusing on the journey ahead of them. Until Avi reached over and goosed her. She yelped, jumping away from him. “The fuck was that for?!” He just shrugged and whistled innocently as they continued, and she grumbled in response.

They travelled in relative silence, from there, exchanging frequent glances to simply check in. “How’s your head?” Launa asked, pointedly looking toward the bandage on his head.

He touched it gingerly, testing the amount of pain. “Better,” Avi replied, after a moment, hiking a bag further up on his shoulder, “I might not need this, tomorrow.” He indicated the bandage.

"Sweet-  _shit!_ " One of her bags suddenly snapped free of her shoulders, hitting the dusty ground with a dull thud and the rattling of cans. She knelt to examine the extent of the damage, Avi quickly joining her. "The damn strap broke," she sighed, "Well, it  _was_  a good day.”

"You stop," her companion scolded teasingly, pulling the sturdy cloth that once held his knife out of his pocket, "I’ve got this.

He finagled the cloth to tie the strap back on, holding the two pieces fast in place. Launa muttered her thanks. “That better not count as your getting back at me,” she jabbed a finger in his direction.

"Oh, no, no, no," Avi laughed, then leaned over to growl in her ear, "But, I could use cloth for that, too." She shoved him in the shoulder, blushing and swearing profusely.  
______

They rounded the next corner of the highway several hours later, just as the sun was beginning to set, and the collection of little towns that surrounded Salton Sea came into view. Launa’s breath caught in her throat. It was starting to look like civilization, and it was beautiful. They paused for a moment, taking in the sight of the sun setting behind the severely jostled cities and reflecting off the sea in the distance.

"Yup," Avi laughed, "It looks like Cali. Come on." He reached for her hand, lacing their fingers together as they wandered down the highway into the town. It looked very much like many of the cities and towns they’d been in, before- structures shivered down to their foundations, toppled over and busted through from the force of quakes and leaving very little salvageable.

They decided to wander around, having a few hours to kill before night really fell, and they found themselves moving toward the edge of the group of towns. Launa spotted a small residential area down the road from where they were standing and pointed it out to him. “Why is that so separate, I wonder?”

He squinted at it, then yanked out the map, matching it up. “That’s Salton Sea Beach,” he murmured, “I’ve heard of it. According to what I’ve seen online, it’s this little abandoned community. It looks like something straight out of an apocalypse movie.” She gave him a pointed look, her eyebrows raised. “Okay, yeah, so we’re kind of  _in_  an apocalypse movie. At least it matches the rest of the world, now.”

She nodded. “I kinda want to look, but it looks kinda scary,” she wrapped her arms around herself, “I mean, a lot of stuff looks scary, anymore, but it gives me the creeps.”

"Understandable," Avi agreed, then slung an arm around her shoulders, "Want to find a place to sleep?" She nodded, sliding her own arm around his waist as they turned to go scope out residential housing in an attempt to find shelter for the night.

They didn’t notice the shuffling sound less than thirty feet away.


	43. Chapter 43

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥

Avi was awoken suddenly by a loud yelp and a thud. He bolted upright, forcing his eyes open wide and reaching for the spare knife Launa had picked up along the way. A groan of pain came from the floor beside the bed they'd chosen to sleep on. He peered over the edge, one eyebrow raised as he discovered the redhead sprawled across the floor and slowly sitting up. "You are a danger to both of us," he observed, "You roll out of bed and knee me in the nuts."

She glowered up at him and shoved the pillow that had fallen with her into his face.  
______

They slowly gathered themselves, Launa grumbling to herself and complaining of the headache she'd gained from her tumble from the bed. Avi pressed a soft kiss to her temple as she heated up some food for them, and she fought down the butterflies that fluttered in her stomach.  _Oh, stop_ , she told them sternly, casting him a small smile as he settled down beside her and offered to help.

They spent much of the morning wandering idly through the towns, stopping every once in awhile to dip into a house and check for anything useful- weapons, food items,  _anything_. Launa came across instant coffee and practically shrieked with excitement, to which Avi just grimaced, giving her a hard time about being addicted to caffeine. "I fully accept and embrace it," she said, nodding proudly, "Besides, coffee's good for a lot of things."

"Mmhmm," he hummed, listening, but not believing her words.

"Like, better memory, boosted energy, reduces the risk of some cancers," she listed off, before adding under her breath, "Gets recommended to couples for certain reasons..."

Of course, that got his attention, and he grinned at her. "Alright, I give," he said, coming up behind her and resting his chin on her shoulder, "If, for whatever reason, we start having issues in that department, I'll drink coffee."

Launa snorted and couldn't help the smile from spreading across her face as he wiggled his fingers up her sides, and she bit her lip to keep from laughing. "Don't. Tickle. Me." With a kiss on her neck, he conceded, settling his hands at her hips for a moment before pulling away from her. She shrugged him off, still fighting her laughter as he kissed down her shoulder and back up again. " _Avi!_ "  
______

They continued throughout the town relatively quietly, keeping their quest of hunting for useful items. Which would have been peaceful had Avi not, apparently, decided to bother her as much as possible, brushing light touches against the small of her back and cracking dirty jokes, even coming up behind her and whispering low in her ear. He was in a definite mood to rile her up.  _He has no idea what kind of stubbornness he's up against._  She smirked to herself, almost unconsciously adding an extra sway to her hips as she walked ahead of him.  _And two can play at this game._

They moved their way further northwestward through the Salton Sea area, avoiding fallen debris and making a game of poking at one another, giving teasing touches and seductive gestures. An hour into the game, they passed by a small house and Avi hooked an arm around her, smashing her right up against him and kissed her hungrily, growling low in his throat and pulling her into the house.

Launa grinned at him, even as he pinned her beneath him on a nearby sofa, pulling frantically at her jeans and scraping his teeth over her neck.  _I win._  
______

They all but tumbled out of the house not long later, readjusting clothes and belts, Launa's braid in disarray and the tail in Avi's hair completely removed. She grinned almost evilly at him, cheeks flushed as she tugged her jacket back on. "What?" he asked, laughing lowly and still regaining complete control over his breath.

"I won," she declared triumphantly, standing wide with her hands on her hips, "I have better self-control than you do."

He smirked at her and stepped over to her, slowly, standing over her in an appealingly aggresive manner. "You're not winning, next time," Avi said, voice low, "And that's a promise."

She snorted, grinning, and turned to walk away. "You're gonna have to try harder, then!" she called teasingly over her shoulder. Launa laughed aloud as he ran up behind her, catching her off guard and hugged her tight for a moment before moving to walk beside her.

The whole thing was so strange, she mused. The world was falling apart, cities leveled and crumbling around them, homes were empty or filled with the bodies of those who didn't make it out in time. Bands of humans had settled in various areas, and some had become hostile enough to want to kill them. She had probably killed some of them, and was still walking off the injuries they'd sustained.

And yet, here they were, walking along and laughing, kissing, and holding hands as if nothing was out of place- as if the world wasn't ending. Acting as though the world was theirs to peruse at their leisure, so long as there were always canned food and bottled water at their disposal.

_We're really fucked up, aren't we?_

And after a moment's consideration, she wrote it off as a coping mechanism. The world they'd known had faded, shivered down into the depths of the earth- so they created their own.

Launa glanced up at him, smiling warmly at his striking profile for a moment before turning her own green gaze back to the street ahead of them. She definitely wanted to get him home, and to see her own family, but she couldn't deny that she'd like to have him around for as long as possible.

"Heavy thoughts?" Avi asked quietly, sliding his hand into hers and drawing her from inside her skull.

She shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."

Wordlessly, he reached into his pants pocket before pressing an oxidized copper coin into her palm. "Penny for them?" He grinned cheekily at her, and she snorted, mirroring his smile.

Sliding the penny into her pocket, she sighed a little and gently squeezed his hand. "I like travelling with you," Launa replied simply, "That's all." Smiling, he bent over and kissed her forehead, humming contentedly against her skin. The foggy, purely happy feeling ran through her whole body, making her feel slightly drunk and she couldn't stop the dopey grin from stretching across her lips.

A shuffling, rattling noise sounded from several yards away from them. The warmth dropped out through her feet as they froze in place, ears straining for the sound.

"What was that?" she breathed, holding his hand a little tighter.

He shook his head, a deep frown forming between his brows. He gestured ahead of them. "Let's find out."

They listened hard for the noise to repeat. There was a chance that it was simply pieces of fallen housing settling into its demolished grave, but it was far more likely to have been disturbed by an outside force.  _Please don't be hostile_ , Launa silently pleaded, _I couldn't handle that again_. She shook off the unsettled, floating, yet heavy feeling of guilt that threatened to overtake her. She would deal with that, later.

The sound repeated, followed by annoyed muttering. That's all they needed. The pair of them trailed behind the source of the noises, holding their arms over their bags to reduce the rattling from within them. Whatever or whoever it was was moving fast, sliding and jumping over debris and walking briskly through the streets. They caught a glimpse of the source of the sound- a relatively tall, female someone with brown hair tied high up on her head.

They soundlessly followed her, practically holding their breath as they paused when she did, waiting for her to lead the way, until, finally, she trotted up the stairs into a little house, leaving a long, heavy stick on the front porch. Avi and Launa sat behind a pile of debris, peering over the top to try to get a good look.

"What do you think?" Avi murmured, still frowning, "It doesn't look like there's hardly anyone there."

She bit her lip and scanned the house, sweeping her gaze around to find anything worrisome. "I don't know," she replied, "I want to look closer, but I don't want to chance getting attacked, y'know?"

He offered her a comforting smile. "Oh, that little risk? Pssh," he joked, "You're so overly cautious."

"I hate you."

"No, you don't."

They shared a nervous grin, until Avi's foot slipped on his precarious perch on a piece of wreckage, leaving him scrambling for a better foothold and clasping her hand to keep from falling. They held their breath, eyes wide, as pieces of metal and housing materials crashed down the pile, making more noise than anything had any right to.

Heavy silence hung between them for a long moment and was shattered as the door to the house they were peeking at swung open, slamming against the wall. They ducked behind the pile, hiding as the woman's feet fell noisily on the steps, the heavy staff-like weapon scraping across the wood as she lifted it. " **Who's out there?!** " she shouted, "I know you're there. I heard you following me!"

Launa stared ahead at her partner, terror gripping her whole body. He only looked confused, frowning as he listened intently. "What?" she whispered to him, receiving only a finger to his lips as he cocked his head to the side, straining to hear better.

"Come on, you coward," the stranger snarled, the rubble shifting beneath her feet as she slowly moved around the front of the house, sweeping past them, briefly, "I know you're there! **Come out and fight me, you putz!"**

Smirking, Avi suddenly stood straight, leaving Launa clawing at his coat and urging him to duck. He waved her off, patting her hand reassuringly. "Such language," he tutted at the woman, and she whirled around, scowling at him, "I'm telling Dad."

Launa peeked over the edge, horribly confused, until she finally got a good look at the stranger's face. Something was familiar about its long shape and the way her eyes widened with shock- and realization hit her as the other woman's aggressive stance dropped.

"Avi?"

Launa glanced to him, as he grinned wide, almost tearfully. "Hey, Esther."


	44. Chapter 44

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥

The three of them were still and silent for a long moment, and Launa looked on in shock. _That’s Esther?_  Her wondering was confirmed as Esther’s weapon hit the ground with a wooden  _thunk_ , running at Avi and throwing her arms around him. He stepped onto sturdier ground and gripped his sister tight.

"You’re alive," the older woman murmured into his shoulder, fingers curling into his coat, shoulders shaking with suppressed tears, "Oh my gosh, you’re alive."

"So are you," he laughed quietly, rocking them slightly, "It’s so good to see you."

Esther stepped back, sweeping her gaze over her little brother and swallowing hard. “Don’t you dare tell Dad on me,” she laughed, jabbing a threatening finger at him. She glanced over at Launa, who was still somewhat hiding behind the debris, “Aw, Avi, you made a friend.”

Avi gave her a mock-annoyed glare before turning and offering the redhead his hand. “It’s okay,” he assured her, even as Launa gave him a dubious stare, “I promise. Come on.”

She peered around his shoulder, meeting Esther’s gaze for a moment and let him help her over the pile of rubble. “Hi,” she said, feeling horribly awkward, “Sorry, I don’t mean to interrupt the reunion.”

The older woman shook her head, smiling crookedly in a way that reminded her of Avi.  _Lord, these guys are definitely related_. “It’s all good,” she replied, shrugging, “We’ve got plenty of time to catch up- end of the world, and all.” She extended her hand to her. “Esther.”

"Launa."

The trio stood in awkward silence, shuffling awkwardly. _This is fun_.

"Why aren’t you in LA?" Avi asked his sister, breaking the quiet.

Esther laughed quietly, scratching the back of her neck. “Oh, that,” she started, “Scott, Mitch, and I had a layover in Phoenix when the first earthquake hit. We would have gotten farther, but Mitch got sick for a little while, and, well, Scott’s kinda laid out, right now.”

Avi’s eyes widened. “Scott and Mitch..?”

Launa watched the exchange, feeling very much like an audience member at a tennis match. As if on cue, the door of the house swung open, making the three of them whip theirs heads around. “Esther?” A quiet, relatively high-pitched, male voice emerged from the door, the young man peeking out from around the doorframe. His eyes popped open wide and, grinning, the new stranger practically flew out the door, down the steps, and directly at Avi. “Oh my God, Avi!” he cried, clutching him tight.

Esther and Launa stood off to the side, grinning- Esther in absolute joy and Launa in happy confusion- as the two men hugged. “You’re not sick, right?” Avi rumbled, his voice suddenly sounding much deeper in contrast to the younger man’s tenor pitch.

The other smacked him lightly on the back. “No, I’m not,” he snickered, grinning wide, “Oh my God, you’re okay!” Avi laughed as the black-haired young man smooched him noisily on the cheek. “Oh, you need a shave, Daddy.”

Avi pushed lightly at him. “You should talk, America,” he said, looking pointedly at the scruff on the other’s jaw.

He rolled his eyes and ran a hand over it. “I know. It’s awful, right?”

"Nah."

Esther crossed her arms, unable to stop grinning, but cleared her throat, catching the men’s attention and gesturing at the redhead beside her. The newcomer detached from Avi, gasping a little as his eyes landed on Launa, who was still standing uncomfortably and unsure of how to react to him. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry,” he apologized, reaching out to shake her hand, “Hi! I’m Mitch!”

Launa grinned, recognizing the name.  _The tenor_. “Hi!” she greeted, feeling a little more at ease with him than she had with Esther.  _Ooh, that’s telling. I need to not be like that_. Her ease seemed to leak away as Mitch looked her over, and she readjusted her jacket further up on her neck as he smirked at what could only be evidence of their earlier adventure.

"It’s a pleasure to meet you," he replied, grinning almost evilly before casting a pointed look at Avi as Esther moved toward the house, "Leave it to you to wait until the apocalpyse to get a girlfriend," he whispered, leaving the two of them spluttering as he raised a suggestive eyebrow at her, "Good job, too."

She shifted and looked off to the side, back to feeling awkward as Avi pushed Mitch in the shoulder, scolding him for his inappropriate comments, but grinning anyway. Mitch tapped her on the shoulder, bringing her gaze back to him. “It really is good to meet you, though,” he said, smiling warmly.

She found his smile infectious and mirrored it. “I wish it were under better circumstances,” she replied.

"Y’all coming in or what?" Esther called from the porch and setting her staff-like weapon against the side of the house.

“‘Y’all’?” Avi echoed, teasing her, “You have been around these two for too long.”

She just waved him off, grinning and motioned the other three inside. Avi gently brushed a hand against Launa’s back as Mitch walked ahead of them. “You okay?” he asked, his voice hushed, “I know, this is awkward as hell.”

Launa just shook her head, offering him a steady smile. _It really is, but this is his friends and family. Suck it up._  “Nah, I’m good,” she said, “Don’t worry about me.”

He frowned a little bit, glancing ahead of them to assure slight privacy before stealing a swift kiss. “I never stop worrying,” he murmured, “Don’t be afraid to ask to be alone, okay?”

 _Oh, Gods. He knows me too well. I’ll probably take him up on that, later._  
______

The house was relatively small, but was still a good enough size to accomodate the now rather large group of them. Mitch bounded upstairs as Esther showed them around, a bounce of excitement in her step. “We’ve been here for a little while,” she explained, “Since Scott got hurt, we haven’t exactly been able to move. But, it’s been pretty nice. I’ve been able to go out and grab stuff from other houses and stores.”

Launa nodded and followed her with Avi close behind. “You came here from Phoenix, then?” she asked, trying desperately to be on good terms with his sister, “That’s quite the walk.”

Esther sighed and glanced over her shoulder as she led them upstairs. “Yeah, it was. I never want to do that, again.”

"We’ve been headed to Los Angeles," Avi added as she directed them into a room, glancing around and frowning as he peeked out into the hall, counting the bedrooms, "Est, there’s three of these."

"Uh-huh?" she responded, absent-mindedly, and sat on one of the two beds in the room, which had clearly been claimed as her own, "Launa, you can stay in here. We can officially claim this as the girls’ room"

The younger woman bit hard against the urge to dig in her heels at the forceful suggestion behind Esther’s words.  _Does she really not realize that Avi and I are a thing, or, what..?_  Launa stuttered for a moment, grasping for polite words. “Um,” she started, oh-so-intelligently, “I, uh.”

"Or, Avi can stay in here, and you can take the free room down the hall."

Launa could practically feel Avi going rigid beside her, and he let out a quiet, but clearly unamused chuckle. “Um, Esther?” he said, glancing to his partner briefly, “Can I talk to you for a second?”

Esther’s smile became tight as she flicked her gaze to the redhead momentarily. “Sure thing,” she replied, crossing one leg over the other.

Avi turned his back to her, sliding Launa out of the room and taking her bags from her. “I’ve got this,” he murmured, “Don’t worry, okay?”

"I don’t want to be an issue between you two," she blurted before she could stop herself, voice hushed.

He shook his head, smiling warmly. “Don’t worry,” he repeated, then gestured down the hall, “You should go meet Scott. You’ll like him, and Mitch will take care of you. I’ll be there in a minute.” Without another word and only a reassuring smile, he ducked into the room to speak with his sister. Launa cringed, hearing Esther’s voice becoming irritated, but was unable to discern the words.

She took a deep breath and wandered down the hall, wringing her hands nervously.  _God, this sucks. I suck at meeting new people. “Here, Launa, have three new people, and one of them is your partner/boyfriend’s sister!” Boyfriend? Is that the right word? That sounds weird. What the fuck are we designated as?_  She shook off the thoughts, bringing the pinging of her brain back down to a single point.  _Focus_. She quietly shuffled down the hallway to the open door, where she could hear two male voices, and knocked hesitantly on the open door frame.

Mitch called from inside. “Come in!” Launa couldn’t help but smile. There was something about the young man’s lilting voice that made her happy. She stepped inside, finding Mitch perched on the edge of one bed and a much taller, gangly blonde man reclined on the other. “Hey, Launa!” Mitch greeted, waving her over enthusiastically. “This is Scott. Scott, this is the young lady that’s been travelling with our Avi.”

Scott sat up, wincing, and extended a long arm toward her to shake her hand and waggling his eyebrows. “Oho, really? Nice to meet you, kiddo.”

"Hi," Launa replied, grinning.  _Baritone._  “You, too.” She paused for a moment, another strained silence falling between the three of them. “So, you guys got here from Phoenix?”

The blonde rolled his eyes. “ _Oh_  my God,” he started, throwing his hands up in the air, “What a nightmare.”

Mitch screwed up his face, looking completely creeped out. “There were big ass spiders-“

"-and snakes-" Scott added, his expression mirroring his friends.

"-and it was hot-"

"-and dusty as _hell_ -“

"-and just. Oh my God."

Launa watched, amused, as the two of them bounced sentence particles off each other, making it entirely clear how in-tune they were with one another. “I know, right?” she agreed, “We ran into the same things.”

Scott made a disgusted noise. “And then this guy,” he jabbed his thumb at his shorter friend, “Got the plague or something-“

"I didn’t have the plague!" Came the higher-pitched retort.

"You _totally_  had the plague.”

The two of them went off, squabbling like and old married couple and poking at each other while Launa looked on, thankful for the amusing friendship the two young men shared to distract her from the irritated voices behind the wall. “I’m so sorry, Red,” Scott apologized, “We don’t mean to be, well, this.”

She shrugged, unbothered by the nickname he’d tacked onto her. “Hey, no problem,” she said, “I’m a horrid conversationalist, so, by all means,  _go for it_.”

Mitch motioned for her to sit beside him, which she did, and he propped an arm up on her shoulder. “Hey,” he started, jokingly-flirtatious and making her giggle, “So, what’s your sign?” Both boys started laughing at his words, and Launa couldn’t help but join. Their laughter was infectious, and she found herself almost entirely at ease with them.

"Hey," Avi greeted from the doorway, leaning against the frame and grinning, "Having fun?"

Mitch clapped his hands together. “Oh, yes, daddy,” he replied, and the older man snorted, “We’re having heaps of fun!”

Launa screwed up her face, unsure of what to make of that. She gestured to him at Scott, looking for some sort of explanation. He only shrugged. “I don’t even know, man.” She turned to look at Avi, who was covering his eyes with one hand and sighing, yet still unable to contain his smile.

Her heart dropped as Esther appeared in the doorway, smiling, but had an obvious, unamused set to her jaw. Launa gulped when their gazes met. _I so don’t wanna do this._  
______

They all sat down in the kitchen, later that night, utilizing the tiny, non-electric grill they were lucky enough to have. Avi and Launa offered up their stash to combine with Esther and the boys’ store of food, and there was far more than enough for the five of them. As they ate dinner, Scott and Mitch proved to be a source of endless entertainment, poking and prodding, with the shorter man giving the other shit for being gimpy- with a torn tendon due to a rolled ankle, they learned.

Much to her relief, Avi sat beside her, between she and his sister. “You doing okay?” he murmured under his breath, his hand stroking soothingly over her back. She nodded, offering him a brave smile. It was bizarre, really, to be around so many people, after being one-on-one with him for four and a half months, and more than a little disconcerting. He gripped her hand reassuringly under the table for a moment.

The two groups traded stories back and forth about what all had happened and how far they’d come. Scott comically imitated Mitch’s illness, causing the siblings to scold him and make disgusted noises. Avi animatedly told them about the blizzard and the frozen lake, about him falling into the pit and how she pulled him out, and what happened with the settlement of people near Needles. Launa found herself blushing at his enthusiasm for the things she’d done, trying to get him to stop by poking him in the leg- until she realized he was trying to win his sister’s favor for her.

Which seemed to be working. They were telling the story about being attacked by the other humans, and how she’d fought them off and carried him to the car. Scott and Mitch both had their hands over their mouths, and Esther’s jaw hung open, slightly. “Holy crap,” she exclaimed quietly, then looked around her brother at Launa, “And that’s all true?”

"Why would I lie to you?" he asked, mock-annoyed, and they shared a grin before she looked back at the redhead.

Launa nodded. “I don’t remember fighting anyone, but, yeah, that all seems right.”

Esther smiled at her, nodding slightly. “Alright,” she said, “That’s  _awesome_.” She lightly biffed Avi in the shoulder. “Good to know someone’s been taking care of this kid.”

‘ _This kid_ ’. She forced herself to not be annoyed at the choice of words. “He’s taken care of me, too,” she added, “I’d be dead if it weren’t for him.” There was silence for a moment, until Scott and Mitch ‘aww’d nasally, earning glares and annoyed shouts.  
______

After helping Mitch get Scott back upstairs, hobbling, wincing, and swearing, Launa swallowed hard and went to join Esther in the room right near the stairs. “Hey,” the older woman greeted, pulling her shoes off, “Something you need?”

She hesitated, glancing around nervously. “I’m staying in here, right?”

Esther leaned forward on her knees, pausing for a moment before offering her a smile. “Nah,” she said, “You and Avi are down the hall.”

Launa drew in a deep breath and let it out in a silent _whoosh_. “Um, thanks.” She turned to leave, only to be stopped by the other speaking again.

"Hey," she said, standing and stepping toward her, leaving a good space between them, and propping her hands on her hips, "Thanks for taking care of my brother." The redhead nodded, mumbling an ‘of course’. "But," she continued, jutting her jaw out at the shorter girl, "If you hurt him, I will beat you to death with rusty spoons."

She couldn’t help the nervous laugh that escaped her. “I would say ‘don’t worry’, but that’s what family does.”

"Damn right," Esther agreed, fighting a smile.

Launa mirrored her expression, trying not to wring her hands. “I don’t plan on hurting him,” she promised, “If anyone gets hurt, here, it’ll be me.”

The brunette nodded. “I’ll hold you to that,” she stepped forward again to firmly grasp the other’s shoulder, giving it a friendly squeeze, “Have a good night.” She bid her the same, smiling and leaving the room, shutting the door behind her.

She quickly made her way down the hallway, taking a deep breath and shaking herself to ward off the nervous jitters that had settled into her bones, slipping into the bedroom that had been designated as theirs. Relief washed over her the moment the door shut, finding Avi waiting for her on the edge of the mattress, smiling warmly.

"Hey, there," he greeted, holding his arms open to her. She practically tackled him onto the bed, grateful for the familiar solitude of just the two of them. His laugh rumbled in her ear, and she felt the tension in her muscles- from meeting everyone, from the fear of his sister, from an uncomfortable situation- slip away.

"You didn’t tell me that Esther was scary," Launa grumbled.

Avi laughed, scooting the both of them back onto the bed. “She’s not,” he said, “Well, to me, she isn’t. But, I can see where she would be to you.” He stroked her hair as they laid back, settling into bed. “Better, now, though?”

"Yeah," she sighed, sliding an arm around his waist, her voice muffled as she buried her face into his shoulder, "And thank you."

"For what?"

"For making me sound more badass than I actually am to get your sister to like me." He just laughed and pressed a kiss to her cheek with a whispered ‘you’re welcome’ and a ‘good night’, the pair of them passing out within moments.


	45. Chapter 45

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥

Launa was woken up by quiet shuffling that echoed oddly around her head. She opened her eyes to find the inside of a room, and suddenly remembered the previous day's events: following a stranger and discovering it was Avi's sister, meeting Scott and Mitch, and having an immediate disagreement with Esther, which seemed to be resolved. For the time being, anyway. She sat up, groaning and rubbing her face. "Good morning," Avi's deep, hushed voice met her ears and, smiling sleepily, she slowly blinked her eyes open, only to jump upon finding him bare-chested and in the middle of swapping his shirt out.

 _Goddammit, girl, you have slept with this man, why are you reacting like that?_  Only a mental high-pitched whine answered the question, and she wasn't sure if it was a sound of uncertainty or of her brain fizzling out. "Hey," she replied, oh-so-intelligently, "What time is it?"

Avi glanced out the window, shrugging on the button-up shirt he seemed to favor and letting it hang open off his shoulders, much to her chagrin. "About 11 A.M.?" he guessed, readjusting the shirt and starting to button it up. Launa, as if posessed, hopped out of the bed and crossed the room to stand in front of him. "Hi, there," he said, grinning and pausing, "You're moving awfully quick, considering you just got up."

Launa opened and shut her mouth a couple of times, unsure of what to say, settling for brushing his hands away from his buttons, doing them up, herself. "Just shush," she finally said, slipping the buttons into the holes, her fingers brushing against his skin and taking in a deep breath, "This is all in reverse, but-"

"-yeah, I know," he cut her off, leaning his forehead against hers and inhaling deeply, his hands going to rest on her shoulders. He slid his hands into her loose hair and pressed a kiss to her forehead as she finished, leaving two unbuttoned as he usually did and letting her hands linger on his chest. Launa slipped her fingers up his exposed skin and over his collarbones, leaning in and kissing the hollow of his throat. Letting out a quiet sigh at the contact, warmth thrumming through the both of them, he moved his hands to cup her face and gently pressed his lips hers, his thumbs brushing along her cheekbones.

She let herself relax against him, her hands sliding around the back of his neck as they kissed languidly, lips soft and pliant and his tongue sweeping over hers, muffling sighs and quiet moans. Avi was the one to break off, smiling warmly and wrapping his arms tight around her, keeping her close and steadily swaying them in place. Her whole body tingled, buzzing happily under every point of contact, and she rested her head against his chest, contentedly picking up his heartbeat.

His sigh was loud in her ear and Launa pulled back a little to look up at him. "What's up?"

Avi screwed his face up, disappointment written into his features. "I just realized how little privacy we're going to have, from now on."

She blinked for a moment. "What, does Esther want to protect your virtue or something?"

He snorted hard, laughing. "No," he said, shaking his head, "I mean that Scott and Mitch are very much like younger siblings. Or children."

"Is that why Mitch calls you 'Daddy'?"

"No, I think Mitch just has a thing for Dads."

Launa grinned and shook her head. "So, little brothers. Lovely."

As if on cue, they heard thumping footsteps coming down the hall, and they all but jumped apart, she going for the bags as if that had been her intention all along as the door cracked open to reveal Mitch. "Good morning, lovelies," he greeted.

"Didn't your mother teach you to knock before coming in?" Avi scolded, stepping over to the door and pushing the younger man out and shutting the door. He leaned against the doorframe and Launa muffled her laughter behind her hand as a little knock sounded on the door a moment later. "Yes? Who is it?" Avi answered, smirking.

"Who it is," came the nasal, mocking reply, and the door swung open, again.

"That is an old bit, Mitchie," Avi said, opening the door and allowing the other into the room.

Mitch sat on the edge of the bed, sitting in an almost prim and proper manner with his hands folded over his knees. "I  _did_  watch Nick at Night," he said and turned to look over his shoulder at Launa, who was still kneeling by the bags and retrieving a new shirt for herself, "Good morning, Red."

She smiled at him, nodding. "So, that's what you two have settled on calling me, then?"

"If that's okay," he asked, turning to flop onto the bed on his stomach and propping his head up in his hands, "How the  _hell_  do you sleep," he started, gesturing to Avi as he wandered aimlessly through the room, "with that snoring?"

The older man's jaw dropped, almost offended. "Hey!"

Launa and Mitch exchanged amused grins before she leaned toward him and winking. "I'm used to it." The young man snickered, giving a scandalized 'ooh' as Avi hurled a pillow at him.

______

The rest of the day passed relatively quietly, with little incident. Launa attempted to stay out of people's way as Avi continued to catch up with his sister and friends, filling them in on what had happened to them and they giving their own stories. She ended up hanging out with Scott and Mitch, switching between the boys whenever one of them got stolen to be spoken to.

At one point, the siblings and the boys all crowded together into Mitch and Scott's room, leaving her to excuse herself and wander outside. She took in a deep breath and wrapped her arms around herself.  _Don't be selfish,_  she reminded herself,  _You got him for four and a half months all to yourself, and now he's with friends and family. Cool your jets_. She took another steadying breath, nodding to herself.

_I got this. I'm good._

She glanced around the wreckage of the cities around her. Very little of the residential area still had houses standing, and steep piles of debris were scattered around, making the Salton Sea area feel the most apocalyptic she'd seen, yet. Launa rubbed her hands over her arms against the sea's chilly breeze.  _I'm scared to see what Los Angeles looks like._  She idly remembered visiting San Francisco with her parents when she was young, and suddenly worried for the state of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The front door of the house creaked open, and Launa froze as though she'd been caught doing something wrong. "Hey," Esther called from the door, "You okay?"

She glanced over her shoulder at the other woman and offered a smile. She was still surprised at her- outwardly, at least- change of heart toward her. "Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, "I just didn't want to intrude on the reunion, y'know?"

Esther smiled crookedly, once again reminding Launa of the other Kaplan and stepped toward her, her loose t-shirt fluttering in the breeze. "I 'ppreciate it," she said, moving to stand next to her, "But you don't need to leave the house."

"I know," Launa said, shrugging, "I wanted to get some fresh air, too."

The older woman gave her a dubious look, pausing for a long moment. "Okay," she finally said, crossing her arms. They were silent for a long while, simply standing side by side, and Launa felt the unease she felt around the other start to ebb away. "Avi made me promise I'd apologize."

The redhead whirled her head around, eyes wide. "What for?"

Esther sighed a little and pulled her arms in a little close to herself as the breeze picked up somewhat. "For being so 'scary'." Launa groaned aloud and muttered something about wanting to kill him. "No, no," she stopped her, waving her hands at the shorter girl, "I get it, really. I'm overprotective. I _know._  I don't mean to be, it's just..," she threw her hands up and let them flop back down, laughing, "He's just made some really bad decisions, before."

"With all due respect," Launa said, smiling, "I think he made a really good decision in helping me out from under that building, if nothing else."

The other woman grinned and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I'll give him that."

"Well, how was I supposed to ignore you after you threw plaster at me?" Avi interjected, surprising them both as he moved to sit on the steps.

The younger woman rolled her eyes, sighing. "Dude, I'm sorry, but that was the only way I could get you to look the right way."

"If you kept yelling, I would have found you."

"Yeah, but my way was faster!"

"You didn't have to throw plaster at me!"

Esther laughed at the exchange, touching Launa on the back to lead her over to her brother as they continued to squabble. "It got your attention, though!"

"Yes," Avi said, getting up as his sister herded them back inside, "But, you didn't need to throw anything at me."

"It's not like I meant to hit you!"

"You never  _mean_  to hit me," he argued as Esther pushed them both forward by their backs, "But you always seem to end up kneeing me in the-"

"Okay!" The older woman interjected, "We're officially at things that I don't wanna hear!" Avi smirked evilly at Launa before getting right into his sister's personal space to harass her. "Get out of-  _get out of my face, Avriel!_ "

______

"Alright," Avi sighed several minutes later, his hair in vague disarray from tussling with his sibling. He laid the map out on the table for the girls and Mitch, who had joined them around the time that Esther had her brother in a headlock, to see. "Going by what's left of the street signs, we're about here-ish," he pointed to the general area of Thermal, "It looks like we can just follow the road through Indio and Thousand Palms and onward."

"Sounds good," Launa agreed, nodding.

Esther leaned on the kitchen table and voiced her own agreement. "Yeah, that sounds great, and all, guys," Mitch piped up, crossing his arms, "But what about gimpy, up there?" He gestured upstairs in Scott's general direction.

They stood silent for a moment, thinking. "It might take him awhile to heal," Launa said, "I've had rolled ankles. Those hurt like a bitch."

"No shit!" came the irritated shout from upstairs, "Bring the party up here!"

They all exchanged amused looks before gathering the map and trudging up the stairs and piling into the boys' room, Mitch perching on the edge of the bed and pulling at Scott's pant leg, much to his annoyance. Launa leaned in, peering at the red and purple bruise arcing up the blonde's ankle to a little less than halfway up his shin. "Holy shit, dude," she murmured, "How long ago did you do this?"

Scott looked to Mitch, sharing what appeared to be a telepathic estimation. "About four days ago?"

The redhead pursed her lips, frowning. "Yeah, that's probably gonna take him another week before he should even try to put weight on it," she told the siblings, and Scott groaned, "The best we can do is immobilize it, for now, then get him moving it, later."

"Ugh," he groaned, again, "I so don't want to hold us back. Maybe we can find a wheelbarrow or something?"

"I am  _not_  hauling your ass around in a wheelbarrow," Mitch told him sternly, "So, it looks like we'll have to wait."

"I don't wanna wait!"

Esther piped up. "We probably don't have any other choice, Scottie." The young man grumped and curled his lip, crossing his arms over his chest. Silence fell between them, the only sound being Scott grumbling, annoyed.

"I could carry him," Avi suddenly spoke, and all eyes went to him, disbelieving, "I know I can lift you-"

"Nuh-uh," the other retorted, shaking his head, "Absolutely not. You're  _not_  carrying me."

The older man frowned hard at him as he sat on the other bed, leaning forward onto his elbows. "You said you don't want to hold us back, right?" Scott nodded. "Then, I will carry you."

"That's not gonna be good for your back, Avi," Launa warned, sitting back away from Scott's leg and turning her gaze to him, "You could seriously hurt yourself."

He scoffed, crossing his arms and fixing her with a stare that spoke volumes of  _I'm right_. "Please," he almost laughed, "If I can carry two of those heavy-ass bags, I can carry Scott. He probably weighs as much as them, anyway." He ignored the undignified squawk that came from the blonde.

With hardly anymore protests from the injured in question, they discussed the distribution of bags and how it would work, between the five of them, and devised their plan of travel shortly afterward. With not but a grumble from Scott, they were in agreement: Avi would carry Scott, and Mitch, Esther, and Launa would carry the bags- including the new ones they would pick up to accomodate the addition of more people. They would begin preparing to move, tomorrow.

With that, they all bid each other good night, and headed to bed. Avi winced and rolled his shoulders, rubbing at his neck as he sat heavily on the bed. "What's wrong?" Launa asked, shutting the door behind her.

"I forgot how strong Esther is," he explained, chuckling, "She has one hell of a grip." She couldn't help but laugh at him, kicking off her shoes and crawling into bed, beckoning him to follow her. He laid half on her, burying his face in her neck and inhaling deeply, leaving her giggling at the tickling feeling of his beard and warmth breath. She felt him smile into her neck, pressing a chaste kiss there as he ran a hand over her back and bid her a 'good night'.

She couldn't deny: She was ready to be back on the road, again.


	46. Chapter 46

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥

A loud crash sounded from a couple of streets over, followed by a groan of pain. "You alright?" Launa called.

"Yeah, I'm fine," came Mitch's annoyed answer.

The three of them- Launa, Avi, and Mitch- had set out early in the morning to pick up empty bags and more supplies, slipping and sliding over piles of debris and clunking over the crumbling asphalt. Mitch had requested to go with, leaving Esther to stay and keep an eye on the house and keep Scott company. So far, the trip had been going relatively well, with only a couple of instances of slipping ad falling, like Mitch had just experienced.

It was really only a two person job, but the younger man had insisted on going, one way or another, and with both Avi and Launa worrying too much over whoever went without them, all three ended up going. "Esther's a tough gal," Mitch said as they wandered away from the house and down the street, "She'll hold down the fort." Launa didn't know whether or not to agree with that, and only did when she caught Avi nodded out of the corner of her eye.

They came across a grocery store, which was in what appeared to be mid-decay, with its ceiling beginning to cave in and the doors to collapse in on themselves. It did, however, look sturdy enough to hold for at least a few more weeks, if no one disturbed what fragile structure it had left. And with so small a hole to squeeze through, only the short Launa and and small-framed Mitch could fit, leaving Avi and his broader shoulders outside and grumbling, warning them to be careful.

"So," Launa started as they tried to locate cans and bottled water, "You and Scott have known each other for a long time?"

The young man hummed , glancing down aisles as they passed them. "Yup," he chirped, "We met in a play when we were 10. We've been best friends ever since." He paused for a moment, sucking in his cheeks as he thought. "We'll have been friends for about twelve years, this year."

She did the math real quick. "You guys are as old as I am?"

"You're suprised?"

She shrugged as they rounded the corner of an aisle, locating the canned goods. "I don't know," she responded, "I guess I just expected you all to be his age." She jabbed a thumb over her shoulder toward the entrance, indicating Avi.

"We're only a few years younger," Mitch said, setting some cans into his bag and kneeling on the floor to fit them all in as well as he could, "Does a few years really make that much of a difference?"

"It did, in high school," she snorted, "I guess three or four years doesn't matter once you hit twenty."

Mitch gave her a little smirk. "So, you met Avi by him getting you out from under a building," he turned to grin devilishly at her, "A little case of damsel in distress?"

Launa scoffed, screwing her face up in disgust at the very implication. "I'm no fuckin' damsel," she retorted, "I was stuck under a building with supplies to help me survive an apocalyptic event. Just because I couldn't lift it by myself, doesn't mean tha-"

"Okay, okay!" he stopped her, laughing, "I was just teasing! You are most definitely  _not_  a damsel type."

She paused for a moment, considering his words and blushing in slight embarrassment. "Thanks, I think?" He just giggled at her, poking a little fun at her for her blush and she waved him away, trying to ignore the childish, light-hearted teasing.

They moved from the canned goods and to the bottled water, stuffing it into the bags, freezing once or twice as the beams above them groaned in protest. They scurried toward the door. "Oh, wait, Red," Mitch stopped her, tugging on her sleeve, "Is there anything else you need?" She frowned and shook her head. "Are you sure?" He waggled his eyebrows at her as he gestured to the medicinal items, "Or are you two all stocked up?"

Launa sighed heavily and- vowing she'd get him, later- dragged him outside, laughing and pushing through the collapsing door. Avi cocked an eyebrow at them. "Anything I should know about?" he asked, brilliant green eyes darting back and forth between the two of them. Mitch just burst into giggles, even as Launa shoved him in the shoulder. Avi decided to just leave it alone, and that it was better not to ask.

______

They trudged back to the house, Avi attempting to take at least one of the bags and ending up with Mitch's after Launa insisted that she could handle hers. The younger man trotted ahead of them, jokingly directing them as if they were marching troops. They hopped back over the piles of debris, circling around the back of the house . Avi stopped short as they passed the back of the house. "I have a question," he called to Mitch, pointing to the vehicle parked behind the house, "Why is there a Barbie car back here?"

He continued to trail after the shorter man who kept walking, leaving Launa to peek her head around the corner. "Oh, that's the car that was already parked here," Mitch said, waving over his shoulder and scaling the steps to the front porch, "Esther and I have been trying to get it to work, but, no luck, so far."

"Do you even know how a car works?" Avi asked, waiting for the redheaded woman to catch up and allowing her to enter the house, first.

"No, not really," the other answered truthfully, "But, we keep looking for manuals around town, just in case."

Avi and Launa heaved their bags onto the table. "I could try to hot wire it," he offered, "It probably won't work, since it's a newer model, but it's worth a shot."

"You could  _what_?" Esther's bewildered voice called from upstairs. The three of them glanced up to see her bent over the railing and scowling at her little brother.

He cleared his throat, smiling sheepishly. "Oh, uh," he coughed, "You didn't know I could do that?"

The elder sibling's eyebrows rose high up on her forehead. "Obviously not."

"Oh. Surprise?"

"I'm telling Dad."

______

Turning in for the night, Launa bid everybody a good night and headed to their bedroom, first, plopping face-down on the bed.  _Ugh, why am I so tired? Maybe Mitch is an energy vampire? Nah._  Her thoughts spiralled throughout her brain, completely consuming her attention so much that she didn't notice Avi's presence until he was laying on her back. "Can I help you?" she wheezed.

He hummed for a moment as he considered her question, vibrating her back. "No," he answered, finally, shifting to rest his chin on her shoulder, "I'm fine, thanks."

"Ugh, get off. I can't breathe," she rolled over, flipping him onto his back and turning to sit on his thighs. He grumbled at their flipped positions, and she grinned, taking in his tousled hair fanning over the mattress, "That's better."

Avi smirked at her, his hands going to rest on her thighs as she straddled him. "I thought you were tired?"

"I am," she answered, slowly laying down to rest her head on his shoulder, "I just wanted to prove that I could overpower you if I wanted."

He seemed to take that as a challenge, a low growl in her ear being her only warning before he flipped them back over, pinning her wrists above her head before she had a chance to react. "You were saying?" he teased, smirking as she squirmed to free herself.

Launa sighed heavily, glowering at him. "I hate you."

"No, you don't." He answered, as always, leaning down and kissing her softly, his grip on her loosening as they deepened the kiss, tongues sliding against each other and exchanging sighs. He ran his hand down her arm and her side, holding her waist and pressing himself closer as she nipped at his bottom lip. They broke apart, grinning wide as he kissed her swiftly, once, twice, three times, causing them both to laugh under their breath. His appreciative hum rumbled deep in his chest as he rolled off to lay beside her, one arm thrown across her waist.

Grinning, she laid her arm across his over her midde, her fingers dipping under where the rolled up sleeve was settled just below his elbow. Avi scooted in closer, resting his forehead against her, bumping his nose on her cheek as she tightened her grip on his arm, their legs intertwining. Launa sighed contentedly, her heart flipping in her chest as he pressed a comically loud smooch on her cheek. Dislodging his arm from her grip, he moved his hand to brush hair from her face, trailing his fingers over her jaw as she turned to face him.

"You excited to get back home?" Launa asked quietly, already knowing the answer.

His eyes crinkled with a wide, warm smile. "I can't even begin to tell you."

She turned onto her side, letting her fingers trace the line of his beard from the corner of his jaw, up and around his mouth, lingering to brush over his bottom lip- retracting it momentarily when he threatened to nip at it- and up the other side, tucking a curl behind his ear. "I'm glad," she breathed, "I can't wait to get you home."

Avi hummed, his hand resting on her hip. "If these were different circumstances, that statement would be  _very_ \- hey!" He laughed as she swatted him playfully on the shoulder and slid his arm around her lower back, pulling her closer. She slid her arm under his and around his waist and threw her leg over his hip, smiling at him. He met Launa's gaze, running his fingers over her back and opened his mouth as if to say something, then snapped it shut, again.

"You're doing it again," she scolded, "Come on, Avi. What's on your mind?

He shook his head, brushing his nose over hers. "I'll tell you later."

Launa sighed, exasperated. "You're such a pain, sometimes." He just laughed, reminding her of thunder, and quieted, drifting off into sleep with her close behind.

______

"Alright, kids," Esther asked, the next morning, hauling another bag up onto the kitchen table, "Are we just about set?"

They quickly checked over all of their items, ensuring that they were, in fact, ready. Scott sat at the table, his leg propped up on another chair, begrudgingly waiting to be carried. They'd attempted to hot wire the pink corvette behind the house, but to no avail. After double and triple-checking, they determined that they were good to go. "Ready?" Avi asked, tapping Scott on the shoulder.

"Yeah, I guess," the blonde grumbled, "Aren't I too tall for this shit?"

The older man just sighed and rolled his eyes, kneeling in front of the chair the other was perched on with his back to him. "Just shush and climb on."

"Alright," Scott said, scooting forward and hooking his long arms around his friend's shoulders and leaning onto his back, "But if you start to hurt, just, I dunno... drop me, or something."

"Please don't drop him." Esther requested, patting her brother on the shoulder as she passed by him to load herself up with bags. Avi just nodded and reassured them both that he wouldn't, standing and hooking his arms carefully under Scott's long legs, easily lifting him.

Mitch looked the pair over worriedly. "You guys be careful, okay?"

"Oh, we'll be fine, right?" Scott asked, tapping Avi on the shoulder.

"Yes, America," the other replied, grinning and heading for the door, seemingly unimpeded by the extra weight on his back.

Launa shared Mitch's worried expression, chewing on her lip as she lifted her two bags onto her back and helping the young man with his. "Alright, guys," she sighed, "Off we go." They set out the door, hopping down the stairs and joining the two men piled on one another, finding and heading down the road out of Thermal.


	47. Chapter 47

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!♥

The first day out of Thermal had them clambering over piles of debris, Esther in the lead with Launa close behind, Mitch slipping and swearing just after her and leaving Avi and Scott in the rear, trying desperately to balance properly on the wreckage to avoid falling one way or the other. Their travel didn't even out and become steady until they found solid road, their boots thudding over the asphalt.

They slipped through the edge of the Salton area, moving easily just at the fringes of the cities. Launa glanced down alleys, peering through the shade and the spaces between buildings that were still standing, checking for any other survivors.  _We should be finding more as we get closer to the coast_ , she thought, chewing her lip and hoisting her bags higher up on her shoulders and praying that the broken strap would hold. _Please don't be mean_.

The group was relatively silent, mainly focusing on the journey, the only sounds coming from the back of the group whenever Avi lost control of his balance due to Scott shifting on his back. "Will you stop squirming?" The older man grumbled, heaving the other further up.

Scott cried out petulantly. "Hey, you try doing this," he argued, "This is not comfortable on the Hoying jewels."

Avi screwed up his face and rolled his eyes as the other three paused briefly to turn and look over their shoulders at the pair. "Deal with it, America," he sighed, "You can't walk, so it's either this or still be stuck back at the house."

The blonde finally hushed, sighing heavily and squirmly uncomfortably.

Most of the day's entertainment came from the two men. Launa commented that Scott sounded remarkably like a girl when he shrieked in response to Avi overbalancing backwards, nearly tipping him off his back. They paused at midday to sit and rest their feet. Mitch collapsed onto a little pile of debris, letting his bags fall from his shoulders, letting out a sigh of relief that ended up as a sung, lilting note. Launa grinned wide at the high note he ended on, noise and grumbling from behind her catching her attention as she set her bags down.

"Alright, careful," Avi warned, kneeling and leaning backwards toward the unsturdy wall of a little house alongside the road.

"Yeah, I got it." Through some careful coordination, Scott managed to free himself of his friend's back and leaned against the wall, sliding down to sit on the ground. "Ta da!" He waved jazz hands at Mitch and the girls, smiling wide and coughing a laugh when Avi groaned and laid flat on his back on the asphalt.

Launa wandered over, crouching beside him. " 'It won't be too difficult', he said," she teased him, earning a scowl, " 'Scott isn't heavier than the bags', he said. 'I'll be fine', he said."

"Oh, shush," he sighed, stretching his back up in an arch off the ground, cringing as a series of pops sounded from his spine, "Eeyugh. I sound like popcorn." A disgusted sound came from his sister. Launa couldn't help but grin.

"Want me to rub your back?' she offered, smiling, but genuinely concerned for him.

Avi offered her a small smile. "Nah, I'll be fine," he assured her, clambering to his feet and stretching hard, his arms shaking as he stretched them over his head. Wincing, he rolled his shoulders as he dropped his arms. "You know, I might take you up on that offer, tonight," he said, stepping in close to her and speaking in a hushed tone, quiet enough for only her to hear.

She smiled up at him, sweeping her gaze over him, briefly and narrowing down where all he ached. "I can do that," she agreed quietly.

A chorus of childish 'oohs' and wolf-whistles sounded from the crumbling house where Mitch had joined Scott in sitting against it. Launa and Avi whipped their heads around to glare at the pair of giggling boys, their laughter only intensifying as Launa flung her scarf at them.  
______

When they settled for the night, the group found themselves just past Thousand Palms. Their pace had been slower than expected, impeded by the wreckage of the towns and Avi slowing considerably as the day wore on. The five of them collapsed, one by one, as soon as they agreed to stop for the night. Esther went to find something to burn for a campfire, leaving the four of them to stop and catch their breath.

"Just admit it, beard man," Scott called from his seat as Avi lay stretched out flat on the ground, "I'm heavier than you thought I was. You were wrong."

"Keep talkin', Scottie," the older man warned, "I will  _drag_  your ass to LA."

Mitch snickered at the exchange, pulling the bedding supplies out of one of the bags. They'd ended up designating one for the sole purpose, considering that the tent that Launa and Avi had picked up was too small to fit anyone else. They could have ducked into another house, but no one had been willing to walk the extra way to find something that might fit the five of them.

Launa helped him lay the bedding out, rolling her eyes at the bickering just five feet away. "Are they always like this?" she asked him, quietly.

The young man glanced over his shoulder. "Not always," he replied, rolling out a bedding set, "But a lot of the time. Alpha personalities and all that." She flicked her gaze over to Scott and Avi, unable to keep from grinning as the blonde's voice started to raise in volume, despite his wide smile, and the older man who couldn't lift himself from the ground but had only raised his head. It made for an amusing sight.

 _Alpha personality..!_  She shooed away the teasing thought. _No, you can't like jump his bones or anything while the boys and Esther are around. Down, girl._

Her scolding train of thought couldn't convince her eyes to tear away from him, though, and she found herself admiring his legs as he braced them against the cement, smirking to herself as the memory of him unraveling bloomed in her brain.   
______

They laughed and bantered over dinner, grinning and poking at one another. Scott and Esther told a story of how she missed episodes of a show she liked to record his Vines, and how she still hadn't, jokingly, forgiven him. Mitch rolled up his sleeve and showed off a tattoo of a cicada he'd gotten on a whim, giggling that Scott had somewhat prompted him to do it- to which the blonde gasped and denied everything.

Settling down for the evening, the boys dropped off extremely quickly, curled together, but not quite cuddling. Esther smiled at them warmly, sliding into her own bedding. "They're adorable," she said, rolling onto her side and sighing contentedly.

Launa peered over at them, grinning, then looking over to Esther. "Wait, so," she started, her voice low, "Are they together or just friends?"

"Just friends," she replied, chuckling, "But they do make us wonder, sometimes. They flirt something terrible. And not just with each other." She nodded to her little brother. "Avi can attest for that."

The redhead turned to look at him, smirking as he sat on the bedding beside her. "Yeah," he joined in, smiling, "Mitch is an especially terrible flirt."

"What do you do?" she asked, genuinely curious as to how he handled it.

He shrugged, still smiling. "I flirt back, of course." With that, he slid under the thin covering and settled down, heaving a quiet sigh. Launa grinning at his response, remained still and silent for a long moment, waiting to hear Esther's breathing even out before gently poking Avi in the shoulder. "What?" he grunted, turning onto his back to see her.

"Lay on your stomach," she told him, voice quiet. He didn't move, squinting at her in confusion. "I'm rubbing your back, now, turn over."

He still remained motionless for a moment longer before nodding and turning onto his front, folding his arms under his head. "Thank you," he breathed, "I really appreciate it." She didn't say anything and just smiled, slinging a leg over the backs of his thighs and gently squeezed his shoulders, sliding her hands under the collar of his shirt and gingerly massaging the tense muscle. He sighed heavily, going completely limp and relaxed under her hands as she slowly worked her way down, pausing frequently to work out the knots in his back.

Avi clapped a hand over his mouth to muffle an appreciative noise as she hit particularly tender area. She leaned over to look him in the eye, biting her lip to keep from laughing. "You okay?" she whispered, and he nodded, swallowing hard and biting back laughter. She gave him another once over, kneading from his shoulders down to just above his rear, barely keeping herself from pinching him, before laying down beside him as he rolled his shoulders, sighing happily. "Better?"

He turned his head to look over at her, smiling contentedly to himself and heaved a sigh. "Much better," he breathed, leaning over to press a soft kiss to her lips, "Thank you." Rolling onto his side, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close, his warm hands smoothing over her back, and offered to return the favor.

Launa just shook her head and slung an arm over his waist and a leg over his, resting her forehead against his collarbone. "Nah, don't worry about it," she said quietly, lightly tracing her nails over his back, "Thanks, though. Just get some sleep."

He nodded and kissed the top of her head, pulling the cover of their bedding tight around them and sighing into her hair. "Good night," he murmured, already starting to drift off.

"Good night, Avi."


	48. Chapter 48

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥

They were the third day into their trip- January 28th, Launa noted- and Scott insisted on trying to put weight on his ankle. The bruising from the torn tendon had begun to dissipate, and he was impatient. He gave it a shot, that morning, gingerly easing his weight onto the foot and wincing after a moment of standing on it. "It's getting there," he said with a grin, almost triumphant, "I'll be back up on it within the week."

"We'll probably be in LA within the week," Esther called from across the camping area they'd laid out, "So Avi will still have to carry your gangly ass." Scott puffed up his cheeks in annoyance, and the only noise that could be heard was a long, drawn-out groan from the lump under the bedding that was Avi.   
______

They continued on as they had been, with the women in front and Mitch close behind, and Avi and Scott bringing up the rear. Launa found herself trying to converse with Esther, but found any and all communication difficult. The woman was intimidating in and of herself, but the fact that she was Avi's family seemed to make it worse.  _Make a good impression_. She felt the pressure to do so on the back of her head, weighing down on her shoulders and making it a little difficult to breathe.

"So," she started, grasping at straws to try to start a conversation, "Are you musical, too?"

Esther glanced over at her and shrugged as they trudged along. "Not really," she answered, her voice clipped, "It's just Avi."

Launa nodded. "Oh." A strained silence fell between the two.  _Gods, I suck at talking to girls. Why couldn't Esther be a dude? I mean, she'd still be scary, but at least I know how to talk with guys, better._  She suddenly missed her guy friends back home, and her fingers itched to hold a console controller and play with them. She heaved a silent sigh and glanced over her shoulder at the men behind them.

Mitch looked exhausted- this sort of thing was definitely not something he was used to, and he seemed to struggle, somewhat, under the weight of his bags. Scott seemed bored and uncomfortable more than anything else, and Avi looked to be extremely agitated and weary. She sighed, again. This trip was not going well.  
______

They settled for the evening, in a little trailer park around the corner of a mountain- West Village Mobile Home Park, Launa thought the sign said. The five of them crammed into one that, luckily, had three bedrooms. Which was great, despite the rooms being tiny. Esther claimed the smallest one, cringing at a spider web on the ceiling, while the two other pairs piled into the bigger rooms.

After dropping Scott off his back, Avi trudged down the hall to the room Launa had laid claim on and collapsed onto the bed, sighing heavily. "You alright?" she asked. She got nothing but an exhausted grunt in response.  
______

Later in the evening, the siblings offered to make dinner for the group, going outside and making a fire to cook, and leaving Launa and the boys to hang out and log the progress on Scott's ankle. "I'm so sick of this," he grumbled, crossing his arms and wincing as she gingerly pressed at the tendon, "I hate being useless."

"You're not useless," Mitch assured him, rubbing his hand over his friend's back, "You're just gimpy!"

"Real comforting, Mitchie."

"Love you, too!"

Launa smiled and shook her head, her bad mood from failing at conversation with Esther dissipating. The two boys always put a smile on her face. "Just give it another day or two, okay?" she said, "And try rolling your foot around to strengthen the tendon. Trust me- you'll want to do that."

"Why?" Scott asked nasally, grinning at his own childishness.

"Because you'll have a weak-ass ankle for the rest of your life if you don't," she replied, pointing to her own ankle, "Like me."

Mitch poked the blonde in the arm. "See? I told you so."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. I'll do it."

She grinned at their friendly bickering. "Alright, fellas," she started, moving toward the door, "I'm gonna go check and see how dinner's going, okay?"

They glanced at each other, smiling wide, then back to her, and simultaneously blew her a kiss, raising their hands dramatically in farewell. "Goodbye!" they sang in unison, harmonizing perfectly. Bewildered, she backed out of the room, wide-eyed and trying not to smile- failing miserably- and shut the door behind her.

 _Alrighty, then_. Launa thought, pausing for a moment in the hallway before shaking off the weirdness and walking away, smiling at the eruption of giggles from behind the door. She moved quietly through the trailer, taking careful steps to avoid any damaged floorboards as she crossed the small kitchen and living space to the front door. She stopped short just as the door slipped open soundlessly, her foot landing on the top step as she found Avi and Esther huddled around the little fire they'd made, talking quietly with their backs to the her and the door.

"So, what?" Esther asked, obviously annoyed, "She could be the worst decision you've ever made, Avriel. Is she just stress relief for you, or something?"

Angry heat seared through Launa, and she gripped her temper with the edges of her fingertips, suddenly going cold as she realized that Avi wasn't answering. He remained silent, the line of his shoulders tense.

She remained on the top step , holding her breath as she waited for him to answer his sister, to tell her off, to be enraged at the very notion.

He said nothing.

_Just stress relief._

_Could be his worst decision._

_Stress._

_Relief._

The words hung heavy in Launa's ears, his answering silence slowly crushing her lungs.

She let the trailer door slam shut, and watched as the two siblings jumped at the sudden noise. His face was pinched in a hard glare, softening around the edges when he turned to see her. "Launa," he greeted, smiling, "Hey, dinner's almost-"

"Whatever." She cut him off and sauntered down the steps, her anger making her heart race and her movements to become clipped. He stood to move over to her, looking confused as she brushed past him and to the street.

"' Whatever'?" he echoed, following her. He didn't make it five steps before she whirled on him, fixing him with a vicious snarl.

"Just stress relief, huh, Avi?" she snapped, her fists clenched, "Just fucking stress relief?!"

He blinked rapidly, his mouth falling open for a moment before rubbing over his eyes with his hand for a moment. "Launa, no, you don't underst-"

"I understand _perfectly_ ," she growled, "I'm just some girl that you use for a fuck, right? _Right?_ "

"Baby, no, listen to me-"

"Why the fuck should I?!" Launa shrieked, gesturing violently at Esther who had grown silent behind her brother, "She said it, and you  _obviously_  agree!" Her breath was harsh, her blood pounding in her ears.

Avi frowned, a line appearing between his brows. "You know that eavesdropping just takes shit out of context, Launa," he said, stepping carefully toward her

She glared at him. "Not a simple question and answer," she spat, "Good to know that you've been lying to me this whole time." She turned on her heel and stormed off down the street, fighting angry tears and ignoring him as he called after her.

She'd just made it around the corner when the fire consumed her. She slammed the side of her fist into the side of a trailer, screaming in rage as tears tumbled down her cheeks.

_I told you._

_I should have known better._

Gods, she wanted to lay down and die. She was so stupid, so horribly naive.  _How could I be so fucking stupid? How could I possibly believe he was any different than... anyone?_

Launa took in a deep, shuddering breath, trying desperately to steady herself, but to no avail. Her eyes watered relentlessly and her whole body trembled as she crouched. Maybe you should listen to him.  _Maybe you just heard it out of context. Maybe you could trust him._

She laughed aloud at that.  _You're funny. I'm never doing that again._

Her knees shook as the fire in her veins faded into ice, leaving her frozen and cold, shivering and hugging her arms tight around herself. She was probably overreacting, and she knew it, but she could not deny the chill his silence sent through her.

"Launa!," his voice echoed through the street, the sound of his boots thudding over the pavement toward her making her want to run, "Launa, wait a second, please!" He came around the corner, looking stressed and concerned as she met his gaze. "Launa-"

" **Don't** ," she snarled, backing away from him.

Avi moved toward her, even as she continued to back away. "Please, just listen for a second."

"Why should I?"

"Because," he started, taking in a deep breath, "You are  _not_  stress relief."

Launa didn't relent her glare or her defensive stance, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. "Why should I believe you?"

His mouth fell into a sad line. "Have I given you any reason to  _not_  trust me?"

That made her stop, thinking over the past five months, flickering over every instance he'd helped her or saved her. Every time they shared a smile or a laugh. Every time they kissed. Every moment of happiness they shared.

Every instance seemed to sour as she touched on it. "You could've been manipulating me."

He laughed, incredulous at the very idea. "I'm a horrible liar, Launa," he said, taking another step toward her, "I was only quiet because I didn't know how to respond. That was quite easily the cruelest thing she's ever said."

She studied his face, locking her green gaze with his. He looked so worried, so sad, as he gingerly reached out to touch her shoulder. His fingers gently met her arm, carefully sliding his palm flat against it, his eyes pleading. "Please, believe me."

Launa frowned hard, her jaw set at an aggressive angle and her voice strained. "Why the hell should I believe you?"

Avi let out a frustrated cry and threw his hands up for a moment before grasping her by the shoulders. "Because I love you!"

The pair froze, going stock still as his words hung in the air between them. Launa stared at him. "What?" she breathed, her limbs going colder than ice.

He flickered his eyes over her face, his hands trembling on her shoulders, coughing a nervous laugh and swallowing hard. "I love you," he murmured, biting his lip, "And, dammit, this is  _not_  how I wanted to say it. It was supposed to be special and not in an abandoned trailer park or in the middle of a fight. I just," he dropped his head, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment as she stared at him, unsure of how to respond, "I just wanted this to be different."

Launa couldn't tear her eyes away, searching his face for a tell for his lie, finding none. "Oh, God, you're serious."

His face fell. "Of course, I am."

"A-Avi, I-" she started, cut off as he held a thumb to her lips.

"No, I know," he said, his deep voice shaky, turning his eyes their feet, "This doesn't fix this, and you probably don't believe me, but-"

"No, It doesn't fix this," she said, hesitating for a long moment, "But I believe you." He looked up at her, wide-eyed as he slid his hands down to meet hers, his face splitting into a smile. "But, Avi, I..." She trailed off, unsure of what to say.

After a moment of silence, waiting for her to finish her sentence, Avi stepped closer, rubbing his hands up over her shoulders. "I'll talk to Esther," he said, a stern line working its way across his lips, "What she said was unacceptable."

"Gods, I don't care what she thinks about me," Launa shook her head and looked up at him.

"Neither do I. But I'll talk to her and see if I can't get her to apologize. And maybe back off a little." His words and smile spread warmth throughout her bloodstream, melting the iciness that had begun to settle, there. He let out a sigh, his eyes fluttering shut for a moment. "Are we okay?"

She looked him over, grasping desperately for any hint of a lie in his face and finding none.  _There's no reason to not trust him._  She nodded slowly, swallowing hard. "Yeah, we're okay," she paused, chewing on her lip, "But, Avi?"

"Yes?" He blinked owlishly at her, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips. Suddenly, every time he'd gone to say something and decided against it made sense. Every little smile like that, every sigh into her neck or how he dug his fingers in a little when they embraced- it suddenly had a whole new meaning.

And it made it difficult to breathe. Launa dropped her gaze to the collar of his shirt, unable to look him in the eye. "Avi, I," she took in a deep breath, "I can't. I can't say- I'm not-"

He frowned for a moment, confused at her words, until realization dawned on him. And he smiled. "Hey, it's okay," he murmured, cupping her cheek and making her look at him, "I didn't tell you that I love you to get you to say it back." She stared, wide-eyed, as he continued. "I told you just for the sake of telling you. I don't expect you to feel the same way. I just wanted you to know."

 _Oh, Gods_. Her heart raced in her chest and she raised her hands to place them, shaking, on his waist. "I might not  _ever_  say it, though," she breathed, "Even if I do feel it, I might not. Not gonna lie- the phrase terrifies me."

Avi shook his head, still smiling, nothing but warmth in his too-green eyes. "And that's okay. I get it. Really," he tucked a stray hair behind her ear, one hand looping around her shoulders to pull her close and brushing his thumb over her cheek with the other, "And if you do get there, but still can't say it- I'll know it."

"You don't know that you'll know," she retorted, feeling somewhat childish for arguing, but had trouble being as sure as he was.

"Yes, I do." His smile remained unwavering, and she suddenly felt... she couldn't grasp the word.  _Special? That sounds conceited. Warm, yes, but..._  She studied his face, again, and the crinkles around his eyes as he watched her reaction with a smile.

 _Loved_.

She slid her arms around his waist and buried her face into his chest, feeling as though she would burst as he wrapped her tight against himself. He smoothed a hand down her back, the other cradling the back of her head and sinking into her hair. "I love you," he murmured, rocking her gently. She wanted to cry, to laugh, to dance, to sleep beside him- anything and everything. Just so long as it was with him.

Launa coughed a laugh into his sternum. "So," she said, voice muffled, "Can I come talk to Esther with you?"

He chuckled, the noise sounding like thunder in his chest as he ndded. "This will be  _heaps_  of fun." Grinning wide and biting back the feeling of dread, they headed back to the trailer they'd set up camp in, tightly grasping each other's hand.


	49. Chapter 49

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥

"It doesn't sound pretty," Mitch commented, his palms and ear pressed flat against the wall and facing Scott, who was mirroring his position and shook his head, "What the hell happened, out there?"

Scott shrugged, his voice hushed as they listened intently to the agitated voices on the other side of the wall. "I don't know," he murmured, "One second, Red was in here, and she seemed fine. And then there's shouting? I'm really confused."

"Same," the shorter man agreed, their shoulders brushing one another as they listened, holding their breath, "You don't think they're having problems, do you?"

"I hope not."

"Should we try to help?"

The blonde pursed his lips for a moment, thinking. "Nah," he replied, "There's nothing we could do."

"We could Parent Trap it," Mitch offered with a brilliant grin. They snorted at the absurdity of the thought, then fell into silence as Launa's raised voice pierced through the thin barrier of the wall.

"So, you think I'm a whore?!"

The boys cringed. "Oh," Scott nodded as he realized the situation, "The overprotective older sister strikes, again."

On the other side of the wall, Avi, Launa, and Esther stood, all in different stances of aggression and teeth on edge. The redhead's fists were clenched at her sides as if to keep herself from going at the other woman, her breath burning her lungs with the need to scream.

Esther's arms were crossed over her chest, leaning over slightly to make their height difference obvious. "I think that this," she gestured between the shorter woman and Avi, "was probably a mistake. I think you guys were thrust together into this impossible situation and all that danger and adrenaline has made you think that you have romantic-al feelings, when the truth is that you're just running on hormones and nothing else." She leaned back on her heels, shaking her head. "I think that this is all wrong and this shouldn't have happened."

"That isn't your decision." Avi snapped, anger curling his lip as he squared his shoulders. His sister looked startled at his words, her mouth falling open, "Yeah, you might be right about how this started, but that's not  _everything_. And if we want to continue this, that's our decision."

Launa nodded sharply. "What he said."

The brunette woman's jaw set at an aggressive angle as she turned to face her brother completely. "I'm not letting you make any stupid choices, Avriel."

"You have  _always_  done this-"

"Because you make bad decisions when it comes to your love life-"

"-You do this with  _everything!_ "

Launa fell silent, letting the siblings fight. "Because you need someone to steer you straight!"

" **I am an adult!** " Avi thundered, his face twisting into a mask of rage and his voice seeming to rattle every inch of the trailer. He paused, silence falling between the three for a moment and he lowered his voice. "I'm not a child, anymore, Est. I don't need to be 'steered straight'. I'm a person all on my own, and, yes, I will make mistakes." He took in a shaky breath. "But they are  _my_  mistakes, and I'll take care of them, myself."

He waited for Esther to respond. She remained silent, chewing on her lip and crossing her arms tighter. "Esther, please," he started, again, his voice hushed, "I know you're doing this to try to help, and I appreciate it, I really do. But I need to be allowed some room to breathe."

Esther remained silent for a long, painful moment, rubbing her hands over her upper arms. "Mom told me to look after you," she finally said, her voice cracking a little, "That's what I'm meant to do. I'm supposed to take care of you. I'm supposed to protect you."

Avi bit his lip, pausing before approaching her and hugging her tightly. "You can't protect me from everything," he said quietly, "I have to make mistakes." Esther nodded, returning his hug just as firmly.

A pang of hurt shot through Launa.  _Don't take it personally- he probably isn't implying that you're one of the mistakes. Don't get your panties in a twist. Just wait. Let them have a moment._

The siblings remained still for a moment, their voices hushed as they finally agreed, parting with Esther wiping at her eyes. "I can't guarantee I can stop all at once," she said with a humorless laugh, "And I'm not letting you make any stupidly ­ _dangerous_  decisions-"

"-I would never!" He laughed, clapping her gently on the shoulders.

"You have, though," she argued, "Remember when you almost broke your arm-"

"-you never let me forget. You'll probably be reminding me on my deathbed."

They traded small smiles, pausing for a long moment before Avi looked pointedly back and forth between the two women, pushing gently at Esther's shoulder. Launa instinctively crossed her arms over her chest in an attempt to defend herself as the other woman turned toward her. There was still a touch of disdain in her eyes, but she remained quiet, thinking over her choice of words. "I'm sorry," she said, her words jabbing through the silence, "I've said some terrible things."

Launa nodded slowly, watching as Esther folded her own arms. "Yeah, you really have," she replied in the same manner, somewhat aggressive and unrelenting, standing her ground, "And I don't know what I've done to deserve it."

The older woman shook her head as Avi eyed the pair of them warily, seemingly ready to interject should things get too heated. "You haven't done anything," she admitted, her words softer, "I've assumed the worst of you, and I might be wrong. I don't know, yet. If you're not a mistake, great. You'll both carry on, then. If you're a mistake, then you two will deal with it." She paused, holding her breath for a moment before leaning in a little, a slight smirk playing at the edge of her lips. "Although, my spoon threat still stands."

She couldn't help but cough a nervous laugh, nodding. "Don't worry. I haven't forgotten.

"What do you say?" Esther asked, extending her hand to her, "I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, I'll trust this bozo to not make too many mistakes," she jabbed her thumb over her shoulder at Avi with a smile, "and we'll call it good?"

"Yeah," Launa replied, firmly shaking her hand, "I think I could do that."

Heaving a relieved sigh, Avi glanced between the two. "Alright," he said after a beat of silence, "No more of this shit, okay? I'm tired." They shared a quiet chuckle before nodding, and Esther moving toward the door to retrieve a reheated dinner from the dead campfire until a shout came from behind the wall.

"Are you guys done fighting, now?!" Scott shouted, knocking on the wall, "We're scared to come out!"

"We're scared," Mitch echoed in a nasal, childish voice, "Mommy! Daddy!"

Avi just snorted and trudged down the hall to retrieve the boys, laughing and giving them shit. Launa stood awkwardly in the small living area as Esther left to get the food.

 _Please let this stay good_ , she silently pleaded who or whatever might be listening,  _Please just let me get along with Esther. Please let this end well._

______

"Careful," Esther warned as Mitch stood before Scott, gently holding his hands as the blonde attempted to hold his weight on his foot. It was early morning, about another hour before they would leave for Cabazon. The boys were trying to keep Scott upright and on his feet as he rolled his foot around carefully with Esther sitting beside them on a dilapidated couch, watching them worriedly and chewing on her bottom lip.

The tall, thin man waved at her without looking away from his friend's hands. "I am," he assured her, wobbling slightly and tightly gripping Mitch's hand. He sat heavily, again, with a frustrated sigh and releasing his grip on the other. "I could probably start walking, today."

Esther's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you sure?"

"Not really," Scott replied with a shrug and a small laugh, "But it's worth a shot."

"If you get tired," Avi interjected, leaning against the far wall and lacing up his boot, "Just let me know and I'll carry you again, okay?" His friend nodded his thanks before falling against the back of the couch, sighing heavily. "How's our stock looking?"

Mitch peered into the bags, digging around slightly. "Cans look good, water looks mostly good," he listed off, "It'll get us to Cabazon, at least." He flicked his deep brown eyes around the room, scrunching his nose. "Where's Red?"

Avi gestured to their room and pulled the knot tight in his boot. "She's still in the room, but she'll be out, soon, she said," he told them, swaying his weight back and forth from one foot to the other.

As if on cue, Launa emerged from the hallway, hurrying toward where they'd all left their shoes and tying the end of her braid. "Sorry, sorry," she apologized, quickly slipping into her hiking boots, "I know: I'm slow, sorry."

"We weren't leaving for at least another hour," Esther replied with a small smile, "You're good."

Launa froze in her spot, one foot halfway into her shoe, looking wide-eyed over her shoulder at the other woman. "Oh."

______

They slowly made their way out of the mobile home park, shuffling along to accomodate Scott's slow pace as he leaned on Mitch. Avi had opted to take the bags off Mitch's hands to help the blonde, slinging them over his shoulders and falling into step alongside Launa, behind the boys. "So," he started, smirking at her, "We've got these three worked out. Think you can handle my other friends and family?"

Launa coughed a nervous laugh, warmth streaking through her system as he slid his fingers between hers. "One thing at a time, honey."


	50. Chapter 50

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥

As expected, Scott was through trying to stubbornly fight against the pain in his ankle about halfway through the day, and Avi and Mitch swapped their cargo- Scott for the bags- to which Mitch complained of getting the short end of the stick. “Would  _you_  like to carry the scarecrow?” The older man offered jokingly, to which the other vehemently shook his head and declined.

_I would offer, but I’m too short_. Launa mused silently, glancing the pair over as Scott was hoisted onto Avi’s back. _Hell, Avi’s barely tall enough, and the guy is bent in half._

"How tall are you, Scott?" she asked aloud, almost startling the man in question.

He quirked an eyebrow, a small smile stretching across his face. “I’m 6’3”,” he answered simply, resting his chin on Avi’s shoulder, “What about you, shortstuff?”

She grumbled and resisted the urge to smack Avi in the shoulder for snickering. “5’4”,” she replied, lifting her head proudly, “Short and sturdy.”

Scott waggled his eyebrows at her. “Yeah, I’ll bet.” He wheezed a cough as Avi’s elbow connected with his ribs.

"Oops," he said, mockingly, fluttering his eyelashes innocently, "Sorry about that."

Launa took the opportunity to jab Scott in the stomach. “Ow!,” he cried, “Abuse! Abuse, I tell you!”

"Don’t make me come back there," Esther called over her shoulder, "I will turn this trip around, and don’t think I won’t."

Snickering, Mitch fell into step beside the other three. “What’s going on?” he asked, readjusting the straps of the bags on his shoulders, annoyed as they dragged on his faux-leather jacket.

"Scott’s making fun of my stature," Launa sniffed, faking being hurt.

The two boys shared a grin for a second before Scott shouted, practically into Avi’s ear. “ _A meter, 98!_ " The man carrying him cringed and scowled at the pair as they burst into giggles, and, upon seeing the redhead’s confused expression, told her the story of how they’d met a tall British man and asked him how tall he was.

"Needless to say," he sighed, shifting to accomodate Scott’s squirming and flailing, "The measurement didn’t translate correctly."

Esther shouted for them to pipe down, barely containing her laughter as Scott and Mitch continued to banter and snicker to themselves, leaving Avi and Launa to roll their eyes and try not to laugh. For the first time, she realized, she felt at peace with this group. Avi had begun to feel like a second home, and she was starting to feel it in the boys and Esther, too. She smiled to herself, scanning fondly over the group.  _Yeah. I could do this._

A low, rumbling sound met their ears, trembling the very air around them. “What are you grumbling about, beard man?” Scott asked, poking Avi in the shoulder.

Esther hesitated and turned to face them, frowning deeply as her brother looked around, mimicking her expression. “I’m not.”

The ground beneath them gave a violent heave, nearly throwing the five of them off their feet. Mitch swore aloud as he tipped over against the rolling of the earth, thrown off balance by the weighty packs on his back. “Let’s go!” Esther shouted ahead of them, gesturing away from the mountains they’d been walking near, waiting for the group to start moving.

Launa hauled Mitch to his feet, taking his hand and pulling him alongside Avi and Scott as they sprinted away, Esther joining them as they passed her. The earth gave a nauseating rolling motion, the tectonic plates beneath their feet shaking everything around them. A deafening cracking sound met their ears. Launa and Avi shared a panicked look before glancing around.

A split had started a ways off and was making its way straight for them.

"Run!" She shouted, tugging on Mitch’s hand and running from the crack as Esther herded them in the right direction. Scott clung tight to Avi’s shoulders, blue eyes wide as he watched the crack draw nearer.

"Uh, you should  _go fuckin’ faster!_   _Mush!_ ”

"I’m trying," Avi shouted back, his hand leaving Scott’s leg to push Esther along as they ran, "Shut up!"

They fled down the highway, chased by the increasing sound of the splitting of the earth’s skin, their boots pounding over the asphalt. The ground gave one last trembling heave, sending them all to the pavement before slowly ceasing. They shared panicked looks, not daring to move or breathe and bracing themselves against the aftershocks that followed.

The movement finally passed, leaving them quaking with adrenaline. “Is-,” Esther started, swallowing against the desert of her mouth, “Is everybody okay?”

"My ass hurts from Avi dropping me," Scott piped up, laughing from the stress as the accused shoved him in the shoulder, tipping him over onto the pavement. Mitch gave Launa a smile, murmuring his thanks as they pried apart their iron grip on each other’s hands.

They briefly checked in with each other, assuring that no one was hurt. Breathing a sigh of relief, Avi pulled Launa into a firm embrace, falling backwards onto the highway and holding her in place. “Dude,” she laughed, “Your sister-“

He shook his head and only wrapped his arms tighter around her. “I so don’t care if she sees,” he mumbled, “I’m just glad you’re alright.” They remained silent for a moment, grinning as Launa returned his hug as best as she could until wolf whistles sounded from the boys.

“ _Alright_ , kids,” Esther called, shoving her foot into Avi’s knee, “Keep that shit where I can’t see it. Or hear it. Or anything at all. I don’t want to know  _anything_.”  
______

After gathering themselves, again, and recovering from the shakiness the quake had instilled in each of them, they trudged on, quickly making their way down the highway, their ears straining for any aftershocks that might rumble toward them. They turned around the corner of the highway, around a small mountain, and, much to their relief, Cabazon was within sight.

"Almost there," Avi breathed, keeping his voice lowered as he readjusted the unconscious Scott on his back, who had fallen asleep an hour ago. Mitch yawned in response, ending in a high-pitched note. Everyone seemed to be exhausted after the earthquake.

 _We might not even need to make dinner. We’re probably all going to pass out as soon as we lay down_. Launa sighed, hitching a bag further up on her aching shoulder.  _I know I will, anyway_. She caught Esther turning to check over the group out of the corner of her eye, looking just as tired as she felt. _It looks like she will, too._

They crept up on Cabazon, thankful for the residential housing on the edge of town. They piled into the first house that would fit the five of them, practically falling through the door. As soon as Scott was free of Avi’s back, he and Mitch sped toward one of the two bedrooms, claiming the bigger one as their own, leaving Esther to wish them a good night and join them, refusing to sleep on the couch.

Launa and Avi bid the three of them a good night and headed for the other room, collapsing onto the mattress as soon as they kicked their boots off, curled around each other with tangled limbs. Sleep claimed them almost instantly, their breath evening out and Avi snoring softly into her hair.  
______

Mitch woke first, the next morning, surprising even himself- he was usually the last to wake up. Grumbling quietly, he pushed Scott’s lanky arms off of him, muttering about how everyone would think they’re a couple. The small-framed man wandered out into the living space of the house they’d settled in, stretching his arms upward and bending backward, yawning.

He heaved a quiet sigh, trying to keep silent so as to not disturb the others, and glanced out the window. The sun was still low in the sky- early morning, maybe 8am, he guessed. The others would be waking, soon. With a ghost of a smile playing on his lips, Mitch decided to take the opportunity to spend some time by himself and headed for the front door.

Pulling it open, he stopped short, his mouth falling open. A young man, no older than seventeen was crouching at the end of the walkway leading up to the house. His head snapped up, shocked by Mitch’s presence, and vice versa. Mitch gaped, searching for words.

"Hi, there," the boy greeted cheerfully, "I take it you’re a traveller?"


	51. Chapter 51

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posted early in honor of Avi's birthday! Happy Birthday, you infuriatingly beautiful man!
> 
> Warning: This chapter contains some gore. Proceed with caution.
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! ♥

The five of them stood outside of the house, the siblings in front, poised aggressively, Avi with a knife he’d procured from a house along the way and Esther with her pole. Launa stood just behind them with her stiletto, leaving Scott and Mitch to attempt to look menacing with naught but pans.

The boy at the end of the walkway looked a little bewildered, but more confused than anything else. “Look, I didn’t mean to startle you guys,” he said, raising his hands defensively, “I was just wandering around, and then that guy,” he pointed at Mitch, who gripped the handle of his pan a little tighter, “came out. All I did was say hello!”

Avi and Esther shared a quick glance before turning their eyes to the other three, seeming to ask ‘what do you think? Friend?’ Launa and the siblings slowly released their aggressive stance, easing into a more relaxed state, the boys seeming to cling to their pans even harder.

"If you’re all headed to the coast," the kid continued, "This highway is blocked off. There was a landslide from that last quake. I can take you around, if you like- my settlement is over where Banning used to be."

The five of them exchanged looks and shrugs before turning back to face him. “Alright,” Esther answered, “Lead the way, I suppose, since we’re all headed in that direction.”  
______

The kid, whose name was Henry, had kindly offered to carry some bags, but was politely declined. “There is no way he’s touching our stuff,” Avi grumbled under his breath, hoisting bags on his shoulders, as Scott had insisted on trying to walk, again. After quickly searching the house for supplies, they set off, with the young man in front and leading the way.

It didn’t take long until, sure enough, they came upon a landslide that blocked off the main road, forcing them to go around to get to Banning. “At least he told the truth about that,” Mitch murmured as he helped Scott along, “Also-“

"-dat ass."

"Oh, yeah."

Esther smacked Mitch lightly in the shoulder. “Quit it!,” she scolded, whispering harshly, “He’s just a kid.”

"Oh, I beg to differ," the black-haired young man replied, suddenly raising his voice, "Hey, Henry?"

The guy in question turned to walk backwards, giving him a charming smile. “Yeah?”

"How old are you?"

"I’m 22," he said, starting to smirk, "Why?"

Mitch shot him a little smile. “Just wondering,” as Henry swung back around to walk forward, Esther’s mouth dropped open as the boys stopped to dance a little in silent victory.

Launa and Avi stared at the scene with raised eyebrows as they passed Mitch and Scott’s flailing. “Do I wanna know?” she asked.

"No, probably not," the older woman sighed, biffing both boys on the back to urge them forward, "Come on, guys. Get your minds out of your pants."  
______

They rounded the corner around the pile of dirt, boulders, and general, natural debris around midday, their eyes widening as a settlement came into view. Henry hadn’t been lying- there was definitely a lot of people, from what they could see. Launa slipped her hand into Avi’s, suddenly horribly nervous as he squeezed her hand gently, trying to be reassuring. “This is really nerve-wracking,” she said, her voice low enough so that only he could hear.

"I know," he replied, just as quietly, sliding an arm around her waist and slowing his steps to match hers, "It’s okay. I’ve got you."

As they approached the edge of the large settlement, Henry gave a sweeping bow. “Ladies and gentlemen, it was my pleasure to lead you to Banning,” he said with a grin, “Everyone- well, most everyone- is friendly, here. Don’t be afraid to poke around. And, uh,” he winked at Mitch, who gave him a flustered half-smile, “I’ll see you guys, later.”

The young man wandered off, leaving the group of five to stand about, awkwardly. Launa scanned the gathering of falling-apart houses and tents, finding that some people were rebuilding a store, moving carefully to avoid getting crushed. Groups of mothers stood together with their children, keeping a close eye on them as they played.

And as they moved tentatively through the town, not a single person was hostile to them. The worst treatment they received was indifference and the occasional, grossed out curled lip. There’s no way any of us smell decent. She resisted the temptation to sniff herself and, instead, focused on the movement around them.

There was such an air of kind survival to Banning, something that screamed ‘We’ve made it by helping each other’, and she couldn’t help but liken it to the towns she imagined while reading about early America in her history classes in school. The only difference is the clothes, really. She snickered quietly to herself.  _Oh, goodness- she’s showing her elbows! How **scandalous**!_

"Something funny?" Avi broke her train of thought, pulling his arm a little tighter around her, quirking an eyebrow and smiling. She shook her head no, telling him to ignore her.

They wandered through the town, glancing around and stopping frequently so Scott could rest his ankle, refusing to be carried with so many people around. “I’ll be alright,” he promised, bent in half to inspect his injury, “Don’t worry about me.”

The group continued on, picking their way around and, as they realized it was starting to get dark, introduced themselves as they searched for somewhere to stay for the evening.  _It looks like any sort of hotel is going to be paid through trade_ , Launa observed, waiting with Scott and Mitch as the siblings went to talk to a man standing outside of a sizeable building, _It’s not like anyone really has any money on them_. She glanced around, noticing a few stands- rather than shops- were accepting traded goods.  _This is exactly what I imagined in history class._

"No luck here," Esther announced as they returned, "They’re still working on this to make it safe for people to stay in. He said that there might be something further down the road, though." She lead the way down the street, continuing to stop and ask if anyone had rooms available for the five of them.

House after complex, everything was full. “It’s not exactly like we can stay in our bedding,” Scott said, hobbling with his arm slung around Mitch’s shoulders, “I mean, what if we get robbed?”

"We could always just leave and stay further down the road," Mitch suggested as they all stopped and turned toward one another, trying to hatch some plan for the evening.

Esther crossed her arms, leaning all of her weight onto one leg. “That might be better,” she agreed, “Although, if anyone, like Henry, goes wandering, we’d be sitting ducks.”

"We could have someone stay up and keep watch for half the night," Avi said, letting his bags fall off his shoulders and rolling the aching muscles, "Then someone won’t have to be exhausted the next day, and we’ll be safe from burglars or whatever."

Launa chewed her lip, glancing at Esther. Somehow, it was some sort of unspoken agreement that she was the leader, despite the collection of strong personalities in their group. “That’s probably the best option. I mean-“

"Excuse me?" A quiet, gentle voice called to them, and they each whipped their heads around to find the source. An elderly lady waved at them, smiling warmly. "Did you youngins need a place to stay for the night?"  
______

Margaret, as they discovered her name was, ushered them into her house and up the stairs into a room filled with four beds. “The bigger room is full,” she said, leading them in, “There’s a whole family in there. I’m so sorry about that.”

"No, no," Esther said, waving her hands and shaking her head, grinning, "This is perfect, Miss Margaret. Thank you so much!"

"We owe you, big time," Scott said, hobbling in and leaning on the wall as he made his way to a bed."

They profusely thanked her again, insisting that they do something to repay her, which she politely declined, bid them good night, and left them to their own devices. They let their bags drop to the floor, sighing in relief at their shelter. A cracking noise and a high-pitched yelp sounded as Mitch sat heavily on one of the beds, which promptly broke under his slight weight. He groaned and, with Esther’s help, heaved himself from the bent mattress. “So much for getting my own bed,” he grumbled, screwing up his face in annoyance, “Geez, Mama’s not  _that_  heavy.”

"Nah," Esther replied, bending to check out the splintered wood, "Looks like this thing was in bad condition for years."

Reassured, Mitch trudged over to sit with Scott on one of the beds, leaving Esther with one for herself, and Launa and Avi to share. Scott slung and arm around his friend. “Oh, you get to share a bed with me,” he half-sang, snickering as the shorter man elbowed him gently in the stomach, “You lucky bitch.”

"Alright, enough flirting," Avi called, yanking his boots off and stretching out on their designated bed.

Scott snorted. “Yeah, you too.”

Launa whipped her head around to glare at him. “Rude,” she pulled her braid out, fluffing her hair, “You guys have been the flirtatious ones! Do I need to remind you of Henry and his ass?”

Teasing and joking squawks sounded all around the room, buiding in volume as they burst into laughter, leaving the brunette siblings to try to reign in the noise, scolding them as though they were children. They settled down several minutes later, with giggles still to be heard as the boys acted like they were at a sleepover. One of them whispered “ass”, but no one could tell which one it was.

Finally, silence settled upon them, permeating every corner as they slipped under the covers and began to doze off. “Mitch, I swear, if you knee me in the nuts-“

"Your elbow is, literally, going up my nose."

Avi groaned into Launa’s shoulder, and Esther grumbled at them to shut up.  
______

Thick, wet warmth met her face, sliding down her skin as it splattered, the boy’s thin, pale skin splitting easily under her knife. His head lolled against the ground, his eyes staring lifelessly at the sky as death took him.

Her blade drove deep in between the woman’s ribs, piercing a lung, and she coughed up blood, her forward momentum sending her careening into her knife. She spluttered, choking and hacking on her own lifeforce and she collapsed to the ground, blood pooling all around her.

And Avi lay unconscious, bleeding from a wound in his head, and her blood ran cold. She hauled him, heavy, limp into the car, flopping into the passenger’s side as she shut the door behind him, turning on two men as they shoved her against the car. They pulled at her arms, pinning her wrists to the hard metal as she kicked and flailed, screaming at them. Fighting.

Fight.

 _Scream_.

Arms held her down, holding her limbs against her body and panic set in, coursing through her veins as a large, warm body pressed against her from behind.

"Launa!" A deep, panicked voice called to her, wrapping its golden tendrils around her brain, "Launa, wake up!"

_Haven’t we done this, before? But it was reversed, wasn’t it?_

She fought harder, kicking and pulling at the strong arms wound around her and holding her fast against a warm torso. “Don’t  _fuck_  with me!” she tried to shriek, her mouth feeling sluggish and her words slurring.

Launa pried her eyes open, completely unfocused, and found herself pushing as hard as she could against Avi’s arms as he held her, gently flipping her onto her back as she calmed. He braced himself halfway over her, worry etched into every feature, his brows furrowed. He breathed her name, brushing his fingers over her cheek. “It’s okay,” he whispered, “It’s okay, I’m here.”

Her vision swam as she tried to focus on his green eyes, and she reached out to curl her fingers into his shirt, a gasping sob ripping through her. Avi practically laid on her, enveloping her with his whole body. A gentle, female voice murmured from somewhere beyond what she could see past his shoulder, and he hummed in response to it, low and velvety in her ear.

"It’s okay," he murmured again, cradling her close, "I’ve got you. I’m here."

She gulped down a deep breath, squeezing her eyes shut and nodding, wrapping her arms around his chest and her fingers digging into the space between his shoulder blades. He whispered the quiet mantra, “It’s okay, I’m here” over and over, stroking what he could of her back and rocking her gently.

The anxiety and fear slowly eased its way out of her system as she relaxed into him, burying her face into his chest, loosening her grip on him but never letting go, and neither did he. The nightmare cut a wide berth around her subconscious, leaving her, instead, with a dream of a green dragon keeping her safe from the shadows surrounding her.


	52. Chapter 52

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter is NSFW. Proceed with caution.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!

Launa awoke to hushed voices and a weight dipping the thin mattress just behind her knees. She slowly came to realize that the weight was Avi sitting on the edge of the bed, facing the center of the room and talking to the others, his voice rumbling the piece of furniture, even hushed. "Just don't call attention to it," he murmured.

"Is she gonna be okay?" Scott's higher voice carried through the dead silence. There was a slight shift as Avi nodded.

She bit her lip and held her breath for a moment. _I really did have that nightmare. I'm a murderer._  She shivered at the memories that had revealed themselves, recalling the clean slice of her blade through skin and the way it dripped blood and the absolute rage that had consumed her. Launa took in a silent, deep breath.  _I can't pretend to be asleep forever. Might as well face the pitying looks._  She shifted slowly, making it look like she'd just woken up.

Avi turned to face her as she sat up. "Hey," he greeted her softly, reaching out to brush his fingers over her shoulder. She glanced around the room, horrified to find every pair of eyes on her, and all with that same worried look. _I should be grateful that I have people who worry about me, but I can't stand it._

She focused her eyes on Avi, her heart clenching upon finding that he was mirroring the concerned expression. _No, don't look at me like that._  "Hey, there," she responded, ruffling her hair, "Did I sleep in?"

He shook his head, chewing on his lip. "No, we just woke up early," he explained, ignoring the silence behind him, "How're you feeling?"

Launa chanced a look around, shooting him a small smile when she focused back on him. "I'm fine," she lied, hauling herself out of bed and carrying on as if her hands weren't trembling from her nightmare.  
______

They gathered themselves, loading up on bags as Scott attempted to strengthen his ankle, and shuffled downstairs. Everyone was quiet, their silence deafening and grating on Launa's nerves. Every time she turned around, she caught somebody giving her a worried look.  _Don't snap at them_ , she reminded herself,  _They're just concerned. Don't be a bitch._  She kept a firm grip on her temper, however difficult it was.

They thanked Margaret again, profusely, offering to do something for her in return for their stay in her house- anything. "Don't worry about it, Sweetie Pea," Margaret told Esther with a smile, "All I ask is you pass on the favor to someone else." The young woman thanked her, again, their thanks following them out the door as they trooped out, hitting the road once more.

Avi unfolded the map, frowning at it. "Alright," he rumbled, his voice still relatively thick from not having been up for long, "We're getting to the edge of where my map ends."

"If we can just get to San Bernardino, we should be able to figure it out from there," Esther said, hoisting her bags further up on her back, "Just keep heading West- LA is almost a straight line from there."

They set out, leaving Banning behind them, their pace barely slowed by Scott's injury as they followed the highway into the West, passing by delapidated and fallen buildings and houses. The dynamic between the five of them fell back into normalcy as they hit their second day out of Banning, as though Launa's screaming nightmare hadn't happened.

The group settled on passing through Colton, rather than San Bernardino, and stocked up as well as they could. Colton was abandoned, but a settlement buzzed across the highway to the North, bustling with life. "We'll probably see more of those as we go," Mitch observed as they sat at their campfire, absentmindedly watching Esther cook their food, "A lot of people headed for the coast, right?"

"That would make sense," Scott agreed, pulling off his shoes to examine his ankle, smiling at the dissipating bruise, "I mean, it's salt water, but it's still water."

Small talk was made and stories were told, mainly at Avi's expense. "So, we needed at least four people for the show, so we met Avi through a mutual friend," Scott explained to Launa, waving his long arms around animatedly, his hoodie-jacket rustling quietly with his movements, "And I go and introduce myself, and this guy is like," the blonde dropped his voice in his best imitation of the other man's deep voice, " 'Hi, I'm Avi', and I was like, 'well, you just shook the floor, so'..." He trailed off into laughter, Mitch quickly joining him.

Launa glanced over at Avi, warmth fluttering in her chest as he laughed, his nose crinkling as he threw his arm over his mouth to stifle the booming sound. "And hearing him and Mitch talk in the same room was  _really weird_ ," Scott continued, gesturing between his two friends, "Like,  _low_  and _high_!" He imitated both of them, his voice cracking at the two extremes. Mitch giggled and opened his mouth, pointing skyward as a high-pitched squeaking noise erupted from him.

"What the fuck was that?" Launa cried, eyes wide as she gaped.

"Whistle notes," the young man replied simply, continuing to sing Old McDonald at an impossibly high octave, "And then there's that guy." He gestured at the man sitting next to her.

Avi grinned almost evilly and, nearly dropping his chin to his chest, growled out a note she felt more than heard, vibrating the very ground beneath them. She jumped, drawing her knees to her chest as the low note dissolved into a chuckle. "Yeah, and then there's me," Esther snorted, waving and stirring the soup.

"You take beautiful photos, Est," Avi protested, to which his sister grinned wide and waved him away.

Mitch sat cross-legged and suddenly leaned forward on his elbows. "Do you sing, Red?"

She hesitated, completely caught off guard. "Uh."

"Despite what she says," Avi interrupted, "She does, and she's very good." She resisted the urge to elbow him in the ribs as Mitch and Scott pestered her to sing something, despite her vehement decline.

"Just eat your damn dinner," Launa laughed, poking Avi in the hip when no one was looking, jumping when he returned the favor with a quick, sly stroke and squeeze to her inner thigh, forcing her to bite back a surprised noise by choking down some of her soup. She glared at him out of the corner of her eye, not missing the little smirk that played at the corner of his lips.  
______

They ate their dinner in relative silence, interrupted only by random miniature conversations popping up every now and again, only to build in volume, once more as they finished. The boys and the siblings laughed and poked at each other, recalling times past, Scott turning bright red at one point with Mitch laughing hysterically into his friend's shoulder and Esther trying to reign in the chaos only to have it turned upon her. Launa felt at enough at ease to join in, the warmth of familiarity finally settling into her bones.

She didn't miss Avi sneakily brushing his fingers against her exposed lower back, her shirt and hoodie pulled up as she leaned forward, sending shivers up her spine that she tried to ignore as she snorted at Mitch's imitation of a pterodactyl. "Children," Avi called, unable to contain his grin, "You're loud!"

"Esther's definitely Mama Bear," Mitch told Launa, "But between the five of us that sing, Avi and Kevin are Mom and Dad."

"And we're irresponisible babies." Scott snorted.

The redhead raised an eyebrow and turned to smirk at Avi as his fingers inched under her shirt. "So, who's Mom and who's Dad?"

"Avi is mostly Mom," Scott said and sipped from a water bottle, "and Kevin is mostly Dad."

Launa poked the young man on his bristly cheek. "Looks like Mom has a facial hair problem." Avi just snorted and shook his head, shoulders shaking with contained laughter.  
______

They finally settled down, the boys passing out almost instantly, curling up next to each other under their bedding. Esther quickly followed suit, bidding Avi and Launa a good night before quickly drifting off. The pair of them slid into the bedding, shedding coats to lay them on top of the blanket, Avi curling against her back and pulling her flush against him and slinging an arm over her waist, kissing the back of her neck as she settled back against him.

They remained still for a long while, laid with their backs to the others. Launa listened contentedly to Avi's steady breathing, relaxing into him, despite the frustration of sleep wandering just out of reach. She sighed, becoming annoyed and shifted a little to press further against him, soaking in his heat and feeling it seep into her sore joints.

"Can't sleep?" he breathed into her ear, barely audible over the crackle from the campfire they'd opted to let burn out on its own. She nodded and tucked her forearm under her head. "Anything I can do to help?"

She sighed and shook her head. "Thanks, though."

Their movements ceased, once more, holding the silence for a long moment. Launa jerked as he kissed her neck, peppering the sensitive skin with silent kisses. Almost involuntarily, she shifted to give him more access and sighed quietly as he nipped at her jaw and the juncture of her neck and shoulder, her skin tingling under his touch.

Avi whispered his fingers under her shirt, brushing lightly along her side and down around her ribs, smirking into her neck as she shivered. He slid his hand to cup her breast over her bra, flicking his thumb over a hardening nub and quietly shushing her as a tiny noise escaped her. "Not a sound," he warned her, his lips against the shell of her ear, "Don't wake them up. You have to be quiet."

Launa nodded, biting her lip as he pushed her bra up over her breasts, sliding his hand to cup her again, squeezing gently and smiling as she wriggled against him as an alternative to sound. Pleasure sparked down her spine, pooling deep in her belly as he massaged her breasts from behind, rolling her nipples between his thumb and forefinger as he kissed up and down her neck. Appreciative noises pressed against the inside of her mouth, threatening to burst as he nipped at her shoulder and slid his fingers against her sternum, tracing a line of fire from her chest to her navel.

"Good girl," Avi breathed, ghosting his fingers over her skin, every nerve oversensitive from the hormone dump in her system. His words sent a rush through her and she resisted the urge to curl around her core. His beard scraped over her skin as he kissed along her jaw, making sure to keep quiet as he squeezed her breast once before repeating on the other and sliding against her lower abdomen.

She felt like she was on fire and he was lava, setting her ablaze with his mere proximity, and she inhaled sharply as he sank his teeth into the meat of her shoulder. Licking over the bite, he swiftly brought his hand up, pressing his finger against her lips. "Quiet, Launa," he reminded her, brushing his hand over her chest through her shirt as he made his way back under and along the line of her jeans. Launa bit down on her lip as he kissed over his bite and teased at the button of her pants, slyly sliding down to press the hard seam against her and she arched into him, holding her breath to avoid gasping at the sensation.

He undid the button and zipper of her jeans one-handed, brushing teasingly over the thin fabric of her underwear and smirking as her hand met his forearm in a silent attempt to urge him on. Avi took a moment to still completely, his ears straining to pick up the even breathing of their companions, ensuring that they were still asleep with a glance over his shoulder. No one even stirred. She pushed her rear into his hips, shivering at the feel of the hardness in his pants and ground against him. Avi's breath stuttered in her ear and he pressed his lips against her hair, inhaling deeply to steady himself.

Launa was at the point of pleading, tugging on his arm to get him to touch her. She sighed silently as he slid his fingers under the waistband of her underwear, teasingly tracing the tips against the outside of her before finally dipping in to run along the wetness, spreading it around as he gently teased at the bundle of nerves. Her breath caught in her throat as pleasure spiked through her abdomen, gripping his arm tightly as he circled over her, sliding against her clit over and over before dipping down to tease at her entrance.

"Good?" Avi whispered, his breath skittering across her cheek as she nodded, digging her nails into his arm as he slipped two fingers into her, slowly sliding in and back out again. As he picked up a steady rhythm, her hips moved of their own accord, heat consuming her and coiling deep within, the very air becoming too hot to breathe.

She bit her lip and slid her hand behind her and along his abdomen, trying to work her way into his pants. Avi pulled his hand from her to remove hers from him, kissing her jaw. "Don't worry about me," he murmured, "Just enjoy." Launa nodded hesitantly, replacing her arm back under her head.  _Oh. He's getting me back_. She jerked as he slipped his hand back into her undies, bumping against her clit and sliding back into her, picking the rhythm back up and kissing her neck, tugging her earlobe with his teeth.

The heat began to coil again, like a spring wound tight in her belly as he continued, breaking the pattern to slide over her entrance, pressing his thumb hard against the bundle of nerves and curled his fingers back inside her, hitting a spot that made her squirm uncontrollably. Launa shuddered, her muscles shivering under his touch as the fire built up and he increased his pace at her urging hand, in and out and in and out and _in and curl and-_  she arched into him and as the warmth exploded, gasping silently as the shockwaves tingled and sparked into every nerve.

She relaxed heavily against his chest gently pushing his hand away as the oversensitiviy he'd left her with became too much, urging him to please stop. Avi helped her readjust her pants and bra into normalcy before she rolled to face him, smiling sleepily. He just smirked at her and, with an almost evil spark in his eyes, sucked his fingers into his mouth, removing any evidence. "Still not sure if that's gross or hot," Launa whispered, throwing a leg over his hip.

"Let's go with hot," he murmured, grinning and slinging his arm back over her waist. She slipped her hands down to the edge of his jeans until he shook his head, looping his arm around her and under her arm to prevent her from trying again. "I'm fine, baby," he assured her, his voice hushed, "Don't worry."

"You sure?"

Avi pulled away far enough to give her a warm smile, his eyes crinkling. "I'm sure." She pushed herself up to kiss him softly, smiling against his lips for a long moment before parting and settling her face against his chest, resting her arm against his. Heaving one last sigh, sleep came easily.


	53. Chapter 53

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥

The pair of them were woken suddenly by Mitch shoving Avi in the shoulder, acting like a domino and falling into Launa. "Wake wakey, children," he sang, grinning, "You've slept in!" Avi's grumbling vibrated her back as he squeezed her tight around the middle, her mirroring groan muffled by the bedding.  _I so don't want to get up._    
______

The five of them heaved themselves up from their campsite, gathering up their belongings and stamping out what was left of the cinders. Bidding farewell to the city of Colton with a swift raid through empty buildings and coming up with hardly anything, they moved on down the highway, ready to leave the place in the dust.

A day's walk brought them through Bloomington, passing by the settlements of the survivors and their rebuilding of their city, past Montclair and Pomona with the population of survivors increasing dramatically as they travelled closer to the coast. By the end of the day, Scott's ankle was sore, but healing nicely and he didn't need the help of Mitch's shoulder.

The map that Avi had swiped was no longer of use, as they had moved past its border upon entering the state after Needles- but they were familiar enough with the area that it proved to not be an issue. Launa glanced around as they ambled down the highway, eyes wide at what she considered to be big cities.  _After all this time of going through different cities, these still feel so weird, even though they're falling apart._

California, as expected, seemed to have been hit hard by the quakes. Entire neighborhoods had been swallowed beneath the earth's crust, with buildings twisted and crushed where splits had closed around them, mashing them beneath the planet's pure power. An ice cube slipped into her stomach as they spied an office building in such a state, remembering Avi's brush with death.  _That could have been him._  She reached out for his hand, grasping it tight and he squeezed back, letting her know that he'd been thinking the exact same thing.

The group ended up at a crossroads of highway, following the higher road in the darkening evening into the edges of San Dimas in a residential area, thankful to find more than a few of the houses vacant and with working locks, despite their jostled structures. They all but collapsed into the living area of a little house, groaning and breathing heavily over the near sprint they'd made to get out of the quickly descending darkness of night.

"Good work, guys," Esther called, exhausted, from her spot flat on the floor, lethargically throwing her fist into the air, "We made good time today."

A chorus of answering groans replied and, one by one, they picked themselves off the floor to collapse into what beds were available. "We're so close," Avi murmured into Launa's hair as she settled against his shoulder, sliding his fingers soothingly over her spine, "I can almost taste it."

She squeezed him gently around his middle. "You're almost home." She felt his smile press into her forehead, unable to contain his sleepy excitement. He drifted off not a moment later, snoring softly into her hair, leaving her to pick her brain apart, a sore twinge running through her bones and striking her heart. Homesickness, she realized, just as sleep claimed her.

______

Esther stood on the back porch of the house, the wooden structure in shambles, with her arms folded over her chest, still blinking awake at the sunrise. Los Angeles was somewhat visible in the distance. Home was near.

"'Morning," Mitch greeted from behind her, squinting, "Ugh. What are you doing up so early?"

She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Oh, my brain wouldn't shut up after it woke me up."

"Been up for long?"

"Nah," she inhaled deeply, taking in the mixed scents of the city and what was left of the nature that they were leaving behind, "We're practically on top of it."

Mitch grinned at her for a moment before breaking out into a yawn. "Ooh, I can't wait to go home," he sighed, then frowned, "Though home probably isn't there, anymore. Not like it used to be."

"Probably not, Mitchie," Esther replied, giving him a sad smile and turning to go back inside, "Come on. We've got another hour or so before we need to head out. Let's try to get more sleep." His answering yawn was the only agreement either of them needed.

______

"Ow."

"Sorry." Scott winced as Launa poked gingerly at his ankle, checking it over. Her brows were furrowed as she gently pressed her thumbs into the tendon, "Does that hurt?"

The blonde squinted, pursing his lips. "Not really. I'll give it a 3 out of 10." He carefully rolled his socked foot in her lap, seemingly impressed at the lack of pain.

Launa grinned up at him from her perch on the coffee table, with him sat on the couch and his leg stretching the distance between the two. "I'm glad you're feeling better, dude," she said, cautiously moving his foot from her lap and removing herself from the little table.

"Hey," Scott tapped her on the arm as she moved to walk away, making her turn to face him again and offered her a smile, "Thank you. Really."

She returned the grin, clasping him on the shoulder. "I'm always glad to help, Scottie." He wrinkled his nose and laughed at the nickname, pushing her gently on the arm.

After another few minutes of ensuring they had everything, they set off, just like every previous morning, down the highway through San Dimas. The survivors of the disasters had created a community of interconnected little towns, moving trade back and forth to establish some kind of rhythm. They slid through the towns that had been constructed from debris, quietly observing the thrum of life as they passed it, with only their destination ahead of them.

Of course, unpleasant encounters were bound to happen. Avi had left to go see about trading some blades they'd picked up in exchange for bottled water, and had come back to find the other four surrounded by men with smarmy looks on their faces.

"You can kindly fuck off," Launa spat, shoving at one guy while Esther stared another down, as if daring him to lay a hand on either of the women or the boys. Scott stood tall, standing wide, despite his ankle, to appear bigger and Mitch's fists were clenched tightly at his sides.

Avi sprinted over to the group, yanking the guy that was sneering in Mitch's face and poised to sling a verbal offense back and away. "That might not be such a good idea there, friend," he growled, smiling with a poison to his words. Rage seemed to build in their group, burning between the five of them and knives slipped into their hands. Their offenders backed off, scoffing and spitting at their feet as they moved away, throwing another catcall at the women before walking away.

"That was so not fun," Launa snarled, snatching her bags from the ground as Avi passed out water bottles, "Let's never do it again." A vague murmur of agreement was passed around, and they quickly moved out upon hearing shouts further down the road.

______

February 4th. Lanuna jotted down the date at midday just as they came within a mile of the edge of Los Angeles. The buildings that made up the city were cracked and falling, one particularly large one had crumpled in half and laid with its top resting against the ground. Movement of life lay just beyond that, promising some semblace of civilization.

The other four seemed to buzz with excited energy, despite the day's travels. "There's no place like home," Scott sang, proving how well-healed he was by clicking his heels together, to which Mitch protested, insisting that his taller friend was the scarecrow- not Dorothy.

"Should we just try to make the extra jump into the city?" Avi asked, playing with the strap of one of his bags, "I want nothing more than to just go, but we're losing light." He gestured skyward, indicating the appearance of stars in the darkening sky. Despite the groans of protest, they agreed to sleep outside of LA for one more night, quickly ducking into another tiny house for shelter.

The four of them seemed unable to keep the grins from their faces, casting excited glances to each other. "Ready to be home?" Launa asked quietly as they laid down for the evening, her arms looped loosely around Avi's waist, sliding her palm against the slight prominence of bones that hadn't been there five months ago. She frowned, quickly realizing that she probably was the same.

"More than I can say," he murmured sleepily, idly brushing his fingers against the back of her neck and ignoring the quiet, whistling snore from the next room.

Launa paused, picking up the sound. "Who is that? Esther?"

"Just because I snore doesn't mean that she does, too."

"Does she not?"

Avi hesitated. "Well, she does, but that's not her," he chewed his lip, listening for a moment more, "Yeah, that's Mitch."

"And he gives  _you_  shit for snoring?" she snorted, relishing the deep, rumbling chuckle pressed against her ear.

"I'm surprised that you still put up with it."

She slid her hand just under the edge of his shirt, poking him gently in his side. "I'd rather put up with yours than the weenie whistle snore." Avi spluttered and fought to keep from laughing too loudly.

They fell asleep not long after, a nervousness keeping Launa awake as she felt him go limp, sleep claiming him. A warmth spread throughout her chest, filling every corner of her being with the happiness of having seen him home, chilling only when she thought of what might await them there.  _Here's hoping that whoever else I meet likes me_. Pushing the thoughts from her mind, she curled into his side, waiting for the sandman to pay her a visit.


	54. Chapter 54

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥

Launa had never seen LA in person, before. She'd heard plenty about it, with its sunset strip and how scary it could be, not to mention the traffic. She knew that, whatever she had imagined, the city would be nothing like it, especially after the quakes. What she wasn't prepared for was how utterly devastated it was.

The roads and sidewalks held puddles eight feet long, at least, spreading across entire blocks and creating something closer to lakes than puddles. The air stunk of low tide, the fishy, salty stench permeating every corner of the city as they crossed the edge of it, wrinkling their noses as the smell met their nostrils. Everything seemed to be drenched in seawater, from the office buildings to the asphalt beneath them.

What was truly amazing was the amount of people volunteering to get LA back on its feet- moving beams and rubbled to free some space and dispose of trash. Apartment complexes and community-use buildings were being built the old-fashioned way- with pure manual labor and man-power.

They wandered aimlessly for what seemed like forever, moving through the groups of people that were helping to put the city back together, past a few vendors selling their wares in exchange for food. Mitch excitedly pointed out a little booth, further into the city, glancing eagerly over the the little stones of rose quartz and amethyst, only to be dragged away by his best friend.

Before they had left their shelter, earlier that morning, they had discussed and agreed upon their plan of action: Find Kevin and Kirstie first. Launa remembered Avi telling her about the beatboxer and soprano/alto girl, before, as well as Scott and Mitch telling her about how long they'd known Kirstie, and how well Avi and Kevin had fit into their group.  _I'm really nervous, but I really want to meet the both of them._

"We should find some sort of official... something," Esther suggested, glancing around, "They might be able to tell us where they are."

 _Or if they're even alive_. The solemn, unspoken fear was written clear as day on each of their faces, and they hurried on, grasping at the barest straws of hope.

______

After an hour of trying to find something on their own, they gave up, asking anyone and everyone they came across where someone or something keeping track of the survivors could be found- because surely it existed. And, as if to mock them for trying to find it without help, they got directions within the first three people they asked.

Following the directions they were given, they turned the corner to what appeared to be a simple house that had been repaired from whatever disaster had struck LA. Glancing around, Launa noticed copious amounts of water damage at the corners and edges of structures. That, coupled, with the ghost stench of kelp in the air made her willing to bet that the ocean had inflicted some damage on the coast.

Esther knocked at the door, finding that it swung open easily, and a voice called to them from inside. "It's open!" They gingerly stepped inside, a man sat behind a desk with stacks upon stacks of books and files at either side of his workspace. Other desks sat around, some occupied, looking very much the same. "How can I help you?"

"Hi," Esther greeted hesitantly, giving a little wave, "Is this the Aftermath Regulation office?" The man grinned and nodded, and the tension began to ease from her shoulders. "We're looking for friends. Is there any way you can look them up?"

"I can definitely give it a shot," he told them, glancing between each of them and offering a warm smile, rolling his chair around to the edge of his desk where a stack of binders were precariously stacked, "We've been keeping track of everyone in Los Angeles. To the best of our ability, anyway. Some pop in that we don't have on file, but if your friends were here to begin with, they're probably in here. I'll look them up for you, and, if you all plan on staying, I'd like to log you into the books, as well."

A murmur of agreement passed through the five of them, and they each instinctively reached for their pockets for their wallets. Neither Scott or Launa had theirs on them, and grumbled at the loss of their ID's. _Of fucking course. And I know exactly where in the apartment I left it. Hey, just lemme run back to Grand fucking Junction to grab my wallet._  He assured them that it wouldn't be a problem. They each handed over their names and birthdates, waiting patiently as he carefully penned them in- Esther and Avriel Kaplan, siblings. Scott Hoying. Mitchell Grassi. Launa Reynolds.

Smiling again, he tucked their files away. "Okay, who am I looking for?"

They all glanced to each other briefly. "Kirsten Maldonado," Mitch said, finally, pausing to spell her last name, "and Kevin Olusola." He watched, amused, as the man scrunched up his face, before giving him the spelling of his last name, too.

A few minutes later of the man behind the desk flipping through files and books, thumbing through pages and sticking his tongue out in concentration, he finally came up with their names. "Alright, Miss Maldonado and Mister Olusola," he slowly chewed their last names, finding them difficult to pronounce on the first try, "It actually looks like they're in residence together."

"That makes sense," Scott mumbled, "Her family's in Texas and Kevin's is in New York."

Esther leaned forward a little. "Thank you," she started, "I have another favor to ask." Upon his nod, she continued, "Do you have any information on Visalia residents?"

He shook his head, frowning slightly. "I'm sorry, no," he responded, "the last I heard, though, was that everyone there was pretty much okay. The tsunamis didn't hit them nearly as hard as it did those of us closer to the coast."

They acquired the address, and he helpfully offered them directions to their little apartment and, thanking him vehemently, they moved out, practically jumping down the stairs, each of them sighing and giving hysterical, breathless laughs of relief. Scott and Mitch hugged each other tightly. "She's okay," Mitch's voice was mumbled into his friend's shoulder, "They're both okay."

Turning to reach for him, Launa found Avi's face an expression of pure relief. "You okay?" she asked, just to be sure.

His mouth split into a wide grin. "My best friend is alive," he said, "My friends are okay, I can assume that my family's okay. I'm _fantastic!_ " With that, he cupped her face in both of his hands and planted a firm, chaste kiss on her mouth, much to her surprise, leaving her wide eyed as he pulled away and ignored the childish protest from his sister.

Launa couldn't help but grin at the excited energy and Avi's bold move, blushing as they set off in the direction of Kevin and Kirstie, feeling like it was the first kiss all over again.

______

LA did not disappoint her in the size department. Despite it's crumbling appearance, it was still  _huge_ \- by her standards, anyway. She simply followed their lead as they seemed to easily follow the directions down the streets, avoiding puddles that spoke of the flooding that had occured.

They finally paused outside of an apartment complex, checking the number on the outside to ensure they had the right one before heading inside. The structure was somewhat shabby with a very put-together-as-sturdily-as-possible-but-was-rushed look to it, the railing of the staircases wobbling and creaking as they made their way up. The smell of relatively new paint floated in the stairwell off the light blue walls and mud was spattered up and down the stairs.

"This is it," Esther said as they made their way to the door with a little "5" hanging just off to the side. They seemed to hold their breath as Avi raised his fist to the door.

 _Knock knock knock_.

There was a long, long pause. Nothing.

_Knock knock knock._

Still nothing.

The five of them glanced around at each other. "Maybe they're out," Scott suggested.

"Should we wait here?" Esther asked, resting her weight onto one leg, crossing her arms over her chest to rub her upper arms.

 _Knock knockknockknock knock, knock knock_.

Mitch chewed lightly on his lip, his eyebrows drawn into a worried frown. "I hope they're okay," he murmured, and Scott slid his hand into his friend's, giving him a reassuring squeeze.

Launa watched, remaining quiet as Avi knocked again, bowing his head and rapping his knuckles on the wood. "I think Esther's right," she piped up, "we should probably just wait here for them to come back."

A silence descended upon them, worry settling back into each of them as the quiet weighed heavily on their tongues, unable to find anything to say. Esther sighed, leaning against the wall and allowing her bag to drop to the floor with a dull thud, the boys following suit, leaving Launa and Avi to shuffle awkwardly toward the railing at the edge of the landing.

 _This isn't how it's supposed to go. They're supposed to open the door and all have a huge group hug. It's supposed to be happy and simple and no more waiting._  Launa sighed quietly through her nose, flicking her gaze around to the solemn, anxious faces of her friends- friends? _Okay, cool automatic title, brain. We can keep that_ \- and boyfriend, suddenly acutely aware of how badly she wanted this to happen for them. She reached over and slid her hand over Avi's, bumping her thump over his knuckles as he gripped the precarious railing. He gave her a small smile, turning his hand over to gently squeeze hers.

"Excuse me," a sharp female voice pierced through the silence from the direction of the stairs, causing them to whip their heads around, "Can I help...you..?" The young woman stood on the stairs, a basket of laundry poised on her hip and her hazel brown eyes wide as she ascended the last step, her mouth falling open. "Scott? Mitch?" Her bottom lip trembled just the barest bit, her eyes welling up with tears.

The boys in question quickly pulled themselves away from the wall, pausing for a moment, their faces mirroring the stranger's. "Kirstie!" Mitch screeched, launching himself at the young woman, followed closely by the blonde, squeezing her tight between the two of them and the hallway erupted into chaotic noise, "Oh,  _angel_ , you're okay!"

Kirstie hugged them back as best as she could, dropping her basket to pull an arm tight around each of their waists, sobs ripping from her throat as she pressed her face into Scott's shoulder. "Oh my God," she cried, her voice wavering, "You're alive, oh thank God, you're alive."

The other three watched the reunited trio cling to one another, fingers curling tight into shirts until Kirstie drew back, laughing. "Oh my gosh, you guys stink," she said in a watery voice.

"Rude," Scott teased her, squeezing her against his side before Mitch moved to do the same, looping both arms around her waist, "Not everyone can smell as good as you do, all the time."

She giggled for just a moment, wiping at her eyes and turning to inspect who else was there, her eyes popping open, again as the siblings approached her with wide grins. "Oh my gosh, Esther! Avi!" The two women hugged first, rocking back and forth from foot to foot for a long moment, "I missed you so much!" Kirstie exclaimed as she was released from Esther to hug Avi, throwing her arms around his neck as he hugged her tight.

"We missed you too, sweetie," Esther replied, her own eyes watering up as Scott and Mitch pulled Kirstie into a tight circle.

"Oh, man, Kevin's going to flip his shit," Kirstie laughed, pulling away from Avi and grinning wide, "Wow, y'all need a bath." She clapped her hands over her mouth, turning in circles to look her friends over again and again. "I can't believe you're all okay!"

Mitch planted a comically loud kiss on her cheek. "What?" he teased, "You thought a little quake would take us down without a fight?"

They fluttered and flailed for a moment, their little group a mass of noise until Kirstie peered around Avi's shoulder, pointing at Launa. "You," she said, beckoning her over with a crook of her finger, "I don't know you but I want to."

"That may not be a good thing to want," Launa laughed, nervously making her way over, desperately not wanting to intrude, yelping in surprise as the other woman yanked her into a brief, friendly hug.

"Hey, if they like you, I like you," Kirstie replied, releasing her, "Oh my gosh, let's go inside- come on!" Mitch helped her gather her spilled laundry basket and they piled inside the tiny apartment, consisting of two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a living and kitchen combined area.

Kirstie banished the laundry to the small kitchen table, jumping when travel packs hit the floor, turning, wide-eyed. "What on earth have you got in those things?"

"Supplies," Esther replied simply, gesturing to a chair to ask if she could sit, which she could.

"Condoms," Mitch muttered, coughing when Launa elbowed him the stomach and Avi shot him a withering glare, "Cans! I mean cans!"

Ignoring the spluttering, Kirstie plopped herself onto the floor, opting to give her friends the more comfortable seats. "How are you guys alive?!" she insisted, pulling her jean-clad knees to her chest, "No, wait- you should save the stories for when Kevin gets back, as much as I'd like to know. I won't make you have to tell it twice." She grinned at them, her eyes constantly sweeping over her four friends.

Happiness permeated the air as they began to chatter, swapping little tidbits back and forth while they waited for the last piece of their puzzle. Launa watched and listened, quietly, which Esther seemed to follow. "Even their speaking voices seem to fit together, don't they?" She murmured to the redhead. She couldn't help but nod, breathing her agreement. The four voices fit together so well, even while obviously missing something.

They chatted for a long time, Kirstie eventually ending up laying across Scott and Mitch's laps and giggling endlessly, keeping Esther and Launa involved in the conversation. They were just about to give up and start talking about what had happened when the door creaked open, revealing a rather tall, bright-faced man yawning as he came through the door.

The entire group fell silent and he stopped in the doorway, eyes wide and jaw dropping in shock. " _Oh_  my gosh," he exclaimed, his voice rising in pitch as he broke into a grin. Avi was the first to stand, swiftly embracing the man tightly."Oh, man, I thought you were dead!"

"Good to see you, too, Kevin," Avi laughed into his friend's shoulder, voice muffled as Kevin returned the hug as tightly as he could, laughing and excitedly rocking the two of them back and forth.

Kevin pulled back, his face screwed up. "Man, you  _stink_."

"We keep getting told that," Mitch piped up from the couch, unable to move as Kirstie was sitting in his lap, but holding his arms out for the taller man and grinning wide, Scott mirroring his gesture.

He rushed over, cackling, and practically crushed the pair into the back of the little couch, squishing the giggling Kirstie in between them. He hugged them for a long moment before moving on to Esther, who stood, hugging him tight around his middle. "Oh man, I missed you guys so much," he said, rubbing Esther's back before releasing her, turning to Launa, "And I don't know you, but you get a hug, too!"

Launa grinned wide. "Um, thanks?" She was swept up into one of the tightest embraces she'd ever had, returning it to the best of her abilities before Kevin turned on the group, sweeping them all into a group hug.

The little apartment truly erupted into what could only be described as harmonious chaos, each voice fitting in perfectly with the other four. The five vocalists were grinning wide, laughing and hugging each other tight and trying not to cry with joy over being reunited.

Launa watched the gaggle of them laugh and chatter, their arms all looped around one another, unable to keep from smiling at the sight. Her heart gave a hard twinge at Avi's smile and the crinkle at the corners of his eyes and a warmth filled her chest near to bursting at how happy he was and how he was finally home and- oh no.

_No no no. We'll deal with that later._


	55. Chapter 55

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥

Launa found herself getting along with Kirstie and Kevin very easily. They were both happy souls with wide smiles, and the elation of them all being reunited flooded the apartment, squeezing into every nook and cranny. The pair of them briefly brought the rest of them up to date with what had happened: Tsunamis had hit, caused by the spike in earthquakes happening all around the continent, and flooded the cities closer to the coast. The first one had been the worst, and they had immediately searched for each other, knowing that they had no one else. There had been a handful of tsunamis after that, frequently causing minor flooding and copious amounts of water damage to what they were trying to rebuild, but the city, as a whole, was persevering.

"And," Kevin added excitedly, pointing to the cello case in the corner of the living area, grinning proudly, "I even saved Beyonce."

There was a chorus of little cheers for him, until Avi poked at him. "Oh, but you couldn't save my guitar?" He smirked at him, snorting when Kevin shoved him in the shoulder.

"Man, I did what I could," he told his friend, standing and stretching nonchalantly, idly wandering over to the cello case and, with a shit-eating grin, slid the cello out of the way to reveal a guitar case hiding just behind it.

Avi stared, wide-eyed, for a moment before sliding dramatically onto the floor and bowing so his forehead touched the floor. "Oh, get up, you fool," Kevin pulled him to his feet, going to accept the hug that his friend was launching at him, "Okay, you can thank me  _after_  you take a shower."

Kirstie screwed up her face. "Yeah," she said, removing herself from Mitch's lap, "Love you guys, but  _y'all_..."

"'Scuse me," Scott interjected, raising his hand, "Shower? There's running water?"

Kevin and Kirstie both nodded, smiling wide. "Yeah, it was one of the first things they got back up and working," he said, gesturing to the bathroom and holding Avi by the shoulder at arm's length, "They got it up within the first week or so, I think. You're welcome to use it."

"We  _insist_ ," Kirstie added, smiling sheepishly at the boys, "No,  _really_."

Esther snorted. "No, we get it," she said, leaning her elbows on her knees, "I can't imagine how dreadful we must smell."

"Seriously, though," Kevin said, "Go for it."

There was a short pause, all glancing around at each other before the room erupted into movement, all making a mad dash for the restroom. Mitch had won the race, clambering over the back of the couch and shutting the door hard behind him. "No, the queen goes first!" he shouted from behind the door, "The drones can wait their turn!"

______

Avi politely offered to go last, leaving Esther, then Launa to follow after Mitch, then Scott, each one emerging looking and smelling far better. "Oh my God," Mitch cried, covering his mouth and nose when he came back out to the rest of the group, "That smells  _so bad_."

Launa heaved a relieved sigh, thanking Kirstie and Kevin again for the use of their shower.  _Holy crap, my hair's actually red_. Glancing over at Mitch, she found him repeatedly running his hand over his jaw. "Feels better?" He just gave her a wide-eyed stare and nodded enthusiastically.

"Mommy feels human again," he laughed as Scott flopped over the back of the couch, wrapping his long arms around Kirstie.

He sighed . "Me, too," he said, blinking at Launa's cocked eyebrow, "What?"

"You were growing fuzz?"

He looked almost offended. "Yes!"

"I didn't see any," she responded honestly, and Esther doubled over, hugging her knees and laughing.

"He's just  _really_  blonde," Kirstie interjected, earning a scowl from him, "And  _really_  pale."

"At least I can tan, instead of just turning red," Scott retorted, coming around the edge of the couch and squishing Kirstie between he and Mitch.

Launa jabbed a finger at him. "Oi, don't mock the pigmentally challenged."

"Is that even a word?" Kevin asked, snickering from his seat on the other side of Esther.

"Absolutely."

The door to the bathroom swung open, creaking from its overuse within the past two hours. "I actually have a face," Avi announced, emerging and ruffling his wet hair.

Launa grinned up at him, ignoring the hard twinge in her heart and biting down words that pressed at the back of her teeth, instead choosing to gasp dramatically. "The thing that was eating your face is- well, not gone-"

"Tamed," he finished, grunting as he sat himself on the floor beside her, resting his head on her knee.

Kevin opened his mouth to poke fun at his friend, grinning as Avi jabbed a finger in his direction. "Don't even say it- We've already had to to hear it from these three," he gestured to the boys and Esther.

The other man fidgeted in his seat, trying to keep quiet, quickly giving up. "Man, how many times did we try to set you up," he started, his voice at a high pitch, "and the freakin' apocalypse is a better matchmaker than we are!"

Avi just sighed heavily in annoyance, and Launa hid her face in her hands in embarrassment.

______

For the rest of the afternoon and evening, the group traded stories back and forth about surviving the apocalypse- about how well the citizens of LA were all cooperating with one another, about the nice old lady that had let them stay the night back in Banning, the flood that forced Kevin and Kirstie out of one housing complex and into another, and the various injuries and illnesses that had struck them during their treks across the country. Scott did his well-loved imitation of an ill Mitch, who fought back with the blonde's undignified status of luggage when his ankle was injured.

"See," Esther said, helping fire up the wood-burning stove, "Kevin would've been especially helpful out there." A murmured agreement from the rest was overpowered by an emphatic 'no' from Kevin, who insisted he didn't do travel by foot. It was much later in the evening that Avi explained to Launa that, with his status as Pre-Med, Kevin would have been very helpful, indeed.

_Maybe I should ask him why I'm still hallucinating Avi's voice looking like gold, sometimes? Nah. Maybe later._

She couldn't remember the last time a meal, however meager, felt so happy. Their mutual love for each other filled the room to bursting, the air warm and full of laughter and chatter as they waited for dinner to be heated, each offering to help the other with cooking the food. Launa nearly snorted her water up her nose as Kevin, apparently hungrier than he was letting on, started to sing. "If I had some chicken," he sang, patting the table for a beat, "I would eat that chicken whole."

Without missing a beat, Scott, Mitch and Avi joined in, throwing their voices into the spontaneous song, leaving her and the other ladies to snicker at the screeching and operatic notes that erupted from the boys, smattered with coughing and spluttering at the lack of use of their singing voices. Kevin danced in his seat to Scott's beatboxing as Mitch rounded them out, dissolving into fits of laughter.

"Oh my God," Kirstie called over the cacophony of noise, "The food is almost ready,  _calm down_."

"It's not chicken, though," Kevin said, losing it and they burst into laughter again, doubling over and faceplanting into the little table, infecting Esther, Kirstie and Launa with their ridiculousness.

Later on, Launa thought back on that first evening in that tiny little apartment made for two, squeezing in their group of seven and the utter joy that she felt there, and how amazed she was at how at home she felt. The amount of giggling could probably be attributed to the heaping amounts of stress that they'd been under, finally breaking under the pressure of it, or the relief of most of it being lifted.

Either way, she was grateful for the emotional break that Kevin and Kirstie's little apartment, and the company, seemed to offer them, allowing them to finally settle after all of that travelling. As they turned in for the night, Esther and the boys piling into Kirstie's room and Launa and Avi into Kevin's, a sense of solidity- of almost permanence- permeated the air. She smiled as Avi curled against her back, warm, clean and happy, and let him pull her tight against him, falling asleep almost instantly. And for the first time in a long time, sleep claimed her just as quickly.


	56. Chapter 56

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥

Launa woke, confused as to why she was on the floor rather than on the bed.  _Maybe I rolled off in the middle of the night? Maybe Avi accidentally kicked me out?_  She glanced upwards, finding an ebony arm draped over the edge of the bed, furthering her confusion. _I'm pretty sure Avi isn't black. What even..?_

She started to sit up, squinting at the strange arm, only to be pulled back to the floor by a strong grip around her waist.  _Okay, **that's**  Avi. What the hell is-_ The memory of arriving in Los Angeles, of meeting Kirstie and Kevin and getting clean and bearing witness to the utter joy that their group produced all came flooding back into her brain, leaving her wading in happiness for them. Warmth thrummed through her as Avi pulled her tight against him, burying his face in the back of her neck, sighing into her hair and making her smile contentedly.

"G'morning," he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep, his arm draped heavily over her waist.

She turned in his grip, keeping her voice hushed. "Hey," she greeted, brushing her fingers against his freshly shaved cheek, reveling in the scratchy feel of the tidy trimmed look he'd returned to.

He smiled warmly, his eyes still closed, seemingly too tired to open them just yet. "Looks better?"

Launa close the space between them, softly pressing her lips to his for just a moment. "Feels better, too." His grin widened, leaning in to kiss her again when a groan erupted from the bed.

"Save it for when y'all have your own room," Kevin grumbled and sat up, "I don't need to be waking up to that, man."

"Sorry," Avi called, detangling from the redhead and stretching.

Kevin just made an incoherent noise, getting up and heading for the living area, leaving the pair to themselves. "No, you're not," Launa snorted after a long pause.

He turned to smirk at her. "No, I'm not."

______

It didn't take long at all for the group to figure out that the seven of them in an apartment made for four people maximum was simply not doable. Everyone kept bumping into each other, struggling to find some sort of flow to the traffic in the kitchen and living area.

"Okay," Kirstie exclaimed,scowling as she bumped into Scott for the third time in a half hour, "This so isn't working."

"We need to move if we're all gonna stick together," Kevin said simply, "We're over capacity, and that's not fair to the other tenants." He started listing off things on his fingers- the amount of water they were using and the rations they weren't going to get because authorities didn't know that there were five additional people, just to name a few.

After discussing it for a little while longer, they agreed to go and request a move into a bigger place that could house the seven of them. "At least three bedrooms," Esther said, gesturing between the trio and Kevin, "I'm willing to share a room with either of you, but not with them." She pointed at Launa and Avi, "No offense."

The redhead fidgeted in place and Avi simply dropped his head to stare at the floor, leaving his reddening ears to be the only visible skin on his head to the rest of the group who agreed unanimously, some grinning a little too wide. Later on, Launa caught him quietly thanking his sister.  _Thank ye Gods for Esther Kaplan for saying what we didn't want to request._  She ignored the way her stomach twisted anxiously at the thought of sharing a room with him.  _Get a hold of yourself, you dork_.

______

After awkwardly fumbling around the tiny apartment for a little while longer, they gathered themselves up and left for the Aftermath Regulation office, locking up behind them. "So, why do we  _all_  have to go?" Scott asked, both arms slung around Mitch and Kirstie.

"Because," Kevin explained, turning to walk sideways as he addressed the blonde, "We need to prove that there really are that many people who are going to be living together, and that we aren't cheating the system to get more rations or whatever by saying we have more people than we really do."

Esther frowned, falling into step beside him. "Has that actually happened?"

"About a month ago, I think," Kirstie piped up, attempting to hop over a puddle and grimacing in disgust when she didn't make it over, splashing everywhere, "A couple of people said that they had, like, ten people and there was only three. They got in trouble and got sent back to smaller housing, but there wasn't any real repurcussions. Kind of annoying, really, since they basically stole food from others by lying."

"They're really cracking down on it, though," Kevin added, "They've gotten a prison back up and running, from what I've heard. So," he laughed nervously, "That's why we're all going. Let's avoid that, shall we?"

______

After explaining the situation to the woman in charge of housing, they got the go-ahead to switch places and were assigned a new, bigger house. They were instructed to leave the furniture that was there when they moved in, taking only what they brought in. The group made the trek back to the tiny apartment, packing up all of the bags, the instruments, and Kevin and Kirstie's belongings and set off to their new place of residence.

Esther and Kevin lead the way, carefully following the directions to avoid getting lost and led them to a moderately sized house, its greying paint chipping around the corners and edging that may have once been purple. The stepped inside, inspecting its interior. It was cold and empty, but it looked promising.

"So," Mitch said, "Two things. One: Which one is our room, and two: when do we go shopping for furniture?"

They quickly worked out how they would position themselves: There were four bedrooms, one of which the trio would share, another for the couple, and one each for Esther and Kevin. "I'm definitely not havin' you fools dancing on my head," the eldest man snorted, cementing the trio on the bottom floor when Esther agreed, "That goes for you two, too."

Launa gave an exaggerated salute. "Aye aye, cap'n. No dancing."

She barely caught Kirstie out of the corner of her eye mouthing 'dancing' and giving air-quotes to the boys.

______

Much to their relief, their neighbors loaned them a large cart that they had used to haul their furniture in, which they gratefully accepted and headed off for the area of town that was known to have items of recovered furniture. They'd counted for each room and figured that, for the moment, they would just be going for beds and would come back if they couldn't find anything more.

After digging through precariously stacked piles of mattresses, they came up with two queen beds and four twins, and were lucky enough to come across a decently sized table and what Launa thought was probably the ugliest yellow couch she'd ever seen. "There's nothing wrong with the couch," Avi protested, helping Kevin heave it onto the cart, "Sure, the color isn't great, but-"

"It's mustard, Avriel," Esther agreed with the redhead, grimacing at it, "Who found that thing, anyway?"

"We did," Kevin said, proudly puffing up his chest and gesturing to himself and Avi. Both women rolled their eyes, grumbling about young men and their horrible choices and something about a 'mustard couch'. "It's not like we have much to choose from!" he shouted as they walked away.

Calling it good for the day, each person helped push and pull the heavy cart back to their house, the original fifteen minute trek turning into an hour's return trip. After hauling each piece inside and into its rightful place, they collapsed, not even having the energy to lift themselves to get dinner.

______

The next morning, Launa realized that they were, in fact, extremely lucky, as Avi flicked on the lights to wake her up. They were in one of the few areas that had working electricity  _and_  running water. "If you wake me up like that ever again," she grumbled as he flopped onto the bed beside her, "I will chop off your balls and stuff them up your nostrils."

He just chuckled and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I love it when you talk sweet to me," he burst out laughing as she walloped him in the shoulder, rolling over onto him and, with their momentum, rolled right off the bed, landing with a hard  _thud_.

"And that's why they're on the ground floor," they heard Kirstie from somewhere beyond their door, but heard little else through the thick walls and over Avi's wheezing.

______

Scott, Mitch, and Kirstie had gone out in search of sheets and pillows, insisting "yes, mother, we'll be fine on our own" when Esther worried over them going without the rest of them. And, as promised, they returned unscathed and with armloads of bags with different bedsheets, pillows and blankets in them, sorting them out by tossing different bags to the others before running off to the laundry machines.

"I don't know where these came from," Scott said with a grimace, "I'm taking zero chances."

One by one, they each followed suit, truly making the new bed items their own. After dinner, Avi found Launa struggling to get the fitted sheets over the corners of their mattress, pinning one corner down with her foot and fighting with another, swearing as yet another popped free. "You really suck at this," he teased, startling her as he pulled the rebellious corner back into place.

"Yeah, whatever," she grumbled, reluctantly accepting his help in making the bed. As soon as they finished, she plopped backwards onto the mattress, sighing in relief, "I always make my bed, can you tell?"

Laughing under his breath, he lowered himself onto the bed beside her, laying on his side and propping his head up in his hand. "Oh, yeah, I can totally tell," he agreed with a grin. They laid in silence for a long while, basking in the little victory until Avi bent to press his lips against hers, softly but heavily, rolling to lay partially on her.

Launa smiled, effectively breaking the kiss. "What's the problem?"

He hummed for a moment, thinking. "Well, I was just thinking that the sheets aren't exactly ours, yet," his lips twisted into a smirk, making her heart skip in her chest, "What do you say we break them in?"

Her stomach twisted anxiously, the need to move surging through her legs as she feigned seriously thinking about it. "Hmmm," she couldn't help but mirror his teasing smirk, "I wonder..." Avi growled low in his throat, pressing a bristly kiss to her jaw to convince her further. She gave an involuntary yelp as he nipped at her neck. " _Alright_ ," she laughed, sliding her fingers into his curls, hissing as he scraped his teeth over her collarbone, "Yes, sir."

He hummed in approval at her response, and she was quiet for a moment longer as he continued when a thought suddenly struck her. "Just make sure that fucking door is locked."


	57. Chapter 57

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥

They fell into something of a rhythm, living their days in and out. Doing what they could to improve the house and make it more homey, creating a schedule where some would go and do volunteer work to bring home extra rations for them all to share, come home, have dinner and talk for a long while and turn in for the night. This lasted about a half a week until Kirstie made the off-hand comment, one night, "I really miss singing together."

There'd been a long pause until, one by one, the musical five of their group glanced around at each other. "Kevin," Scott started, "Didn't you say you'd been busking with your cello-boxing?"

"Yeah."

"And it got good feedback?"

"Yeah, man," Kevin responded, "Whenever we went out to sing and stuff, people always told us how happy it made them. We always came home with a good haul."

A wide grin stretched across the blonde's face. "Guys, why don't we just do that?"

Mitch leaned forward on his elbows onto the table. "What, busk?" He considered it for a moment, "Yeah, okay, I'm down for that." He turned to look expectantly at the other three.

"Of course!" Kirstie replied.

Kevin added, "I'm in."

Avi nodded, grinning wide. "Do you even need to ask?"

An excited energy rose around the table as Esther and Launa sat back to watch them discuss and plan what they were going to do, slowly migrating to the chairs and mustard couch. The two women glanced to one another, smiling at the excitement and chatter as the other five started to lay out the plans of what they would do. "What about Telephone?" Mitch suggested as he sat on the couch, Kirstie settling in beside him with their hips pressed against each other.

"Yeah, let's just go over it," she agreed, "It's been awhile since we've done it, and I know I'm pretty rusty, so..."

They fumbled quietly for a moment, the trio glancing amongst each other for a moment, laughing nervously and grasping at the straws of memory. "Oh my God, I start," Scott exclaimed, clapping a hand over his mouth to stifle his laugh, "Oh, wow, I almost forgot."

"It's not like you've not been focused on other things," Launa said, folding herself on the floor and leaning against the chair Avi had sat himself in. The blonde just grinned wide and waved her away, trying to shush everyone so he could jog his own memory. He fumbled at a note, starting to remember.

And just like that, the song went off like clockwork, rolling almost effortlessly between the five of them, some of them pausing to cough the cobwebs from their vocal cords and clear their throats of dust the lack of use had collected. Esther sat back and grinned as she listened, glancing over at Launa to gauge her reaction. The redhead's jaw slowly dropped as she listened to the song, not quite able to comprehend what she was hearing. _There's no instruments_ , she reminded herself,  _there's nothing but human voices here. What the **actual fuck**._

Her mouth slowly stretched into a grin, watching as Avi and Kevin leaned forward in their seats, trading excited smiles as they went quiet, the trio continuing on with perfect harmonies, throwing in a drop of bass and percussion and a shiver slid up her spine.  _Holy shit, the amount of talent in this room is ridiculous._

They closed out the song, giggling as Kirstie did a phone operator impression, "We're sorry, the number you've called is currently out of service," she bit back a laugh as Mitch and Scott snorted on either side of her, "Please check the number and try your call again."

"Not bad, considering we're horribly out of practice," Avi said, leaning his elbows onto his knees.

Launa felt like her eyes were going to pop out of her head. _'Not bad'? ' **Horribly out of practice** '?! I've never heard anyone sing like that,  **ever**._

The five of them threw ideas back and forth, tweaking little bits and pieces of the song and writing them down, testing out that section of the song and perfecting it before moving on. The redhead could do nothing but silently gape at how effortless they made it look.

"Okay, but we can't just do Telephone over and over," Scott said, tapping his pen against the paper, "Any ideas?"

After a long pause, song suggestions got tossed in, ranging anywhere from Beyonce to Daft Punk to a song she couldn't quite place but recognized it as something from the early 60's. Her ears buzzed pleasantly from the middling and high notes of the trio, mixing oddly yet perfectly with the rumble and beat she felt through the floor.

She leaned over to whisper to Esther. "Tell me something," she asked, "why the hell didn't they make it onto that show?"

The other woman just looked sad as she watched her brother and friends. "I don't know."

______

They turned in for the night, buzzing with excitement at the prospect of singing again, agreeing to take the next day to practice some more. Even as they bid the others goodnight and shut the door behind them, Avi couldn't stay still, opting to pace around the room, instead, humming low in his chest and frowning when something didn't sound right in his head. Launa watched, fascinated, as his eyes flickered around the room, looking at notes and sheet music that only existed on the inside of his skull and trying to work out the harmony of things.

"Avi," she called softly, sitting on the edge of the bed, trying to gently pull him from out of his head. He ran a hand through his hair, pulling lightly on the curls as he thought, chewing his lip and frowning deeply as he continued to think, occasionally mumbling to himself. "Avi."

He still didn't respond, leaving Launa to lean back in bed, watching him with amusment as he worked through whatever harmonization problem, moving his hands to direct his notes as he hummed to himself. A grin split across his face after a period of time, his brilliant green eyes lighting up with excitement and, finally, he came over and sat next to Launa, quickly grabbing some paper to write it down before he forgot. "Sorry, baby," he apologized, setting the paper down, "Did you say something?"

She just shook her head, smiling at him. "Nah," she replied as he peeled off his shirt and laid down beside her.

"What's with the face, then?"

"What face?"

"The face you were making, just now."

"It's my face."

"Yeah, and it was kind of weird," he insisted, "Are you okay?"

Launa nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine," she paused for a long moment, still leaning against the wall the bed was shoved up against and brushed some of his disheveled hair from his eyes, "You're all just so talented, it's kind of disgusting."

He laughed, reaching up to hold her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. "Thank you," he said, sighing contentedly, "I missed singing with them. I missed making music."

There was such a forlorn note to his voice, her heart hurt. "You're kind of in love with music, aren't you?"

Avi flicked his gaze up to her then off into space as he considered her statement, biting idly at his bottom lip and playing with the end of her braid , which had come to rest on his shoulder. After a moment, he smiled fondly at nothing on particular. "I suppose I am," he agreed softly, his gaze remaining distant, "Music's always been my dream. Even if we didn't make it onto that show, they still decided to bring me and Kevin in, and these people," his breath hitched, making him pause for just a moment, "-they're my family, now. I want to sing for the rest of my life, and I want to do it with them."

She listened intently, waiting for any more of his words and gently running her fingers through his hair as he sighed and ran a hand over his face. "Sorry," he laughed under his breath, "I word-vomited all over you."

Launa just shook her head and shuffled down under the sheets with him. "Hey, I prefer word-vomit to actual vomit," she said with a snort, settling her head against his shoulder. _Not gonna lie: It's nice to get a look inside your head. Not like I'm gonna tell him that, though._

She sighed happily as his fingers trailed over her bare shoulder and across the exposed space of her upper back as he kissed her forehead. "I love you," Avi murmured against her skin, turning to lay half on his back and half on his side, pulling her closer to him. Her breath caught in her throat, still unused to the words and giddy because of them. She clamped her mouth tight against the echoing words that pressed at the back of her teeth.

Instead, she took his other hand and kissed the backs of his fingers, looking up at him to find him smiling. Hooking his fingers under her chin, lifting her head to kiss her softly, a smile still playing on his lips as he bid her a quiet 'good night'.

_He wasn't lying. I can't say it, but he still knows._

Unable to contain her smile, Launa buried her face halfway into his chest, breathing him in and drifting off almost instantly.


	58. Chapter 58

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥

The group of them had taken the following day to throw together arrangements for covers, looking into new material instead of simply repeating Telephone. Launa listened intently, but remained at the edges of their circle, as they tossed ideas between them, eventually cementing twists into the songs and running through them until they were ironed into perfection.

There was one in particular that she found herself fascinated by, even though they seemed to be struggling with it. It started off with Kevin and Mitch, gradually adding in Kirstie, then Scott, and Avi last. She knew she’d heard the original, but she couldn’t quite place the title of it. “What do you think, Red?” Kirstie asked, turning around to flop over the back of the ugly couch, startling her.

"Uh," Launa started, glancing around for Esther, who was nowhere to be seen, "What do you mean?"

The other woman shrugged, ignoring the boys talking around her backside. “I just wanna know what you think,” she said with a grin.

She chewed her lip, replaying the song in her head. “I really like the layering effect you guys have in that,” she finally said, “It sounds really good!”

Satisified with that answer, Kirstie chirped her thanks before turning and plopping back into her seat between Scott and Mitch. They discussed it for awhile longer before finally deciding that, no, they’ll work on it later. “Let’s just take these four out and see how it goes,” Scott said, tapping his pen against the paper with their tiny list.

Later, Launa snuck a peek at the paper to catch the titles of the familiar songs.  _Telephone, E.T., Video, and We Are Young. ‘Video’?_  She wondered about it for a little while before shrugging and moving on. _Eh. I’ll hear it, tomorrow, when they go out._

______

The music had become a near constant since they’d started singing as a group, again. Since meeting them, Launa had quickly noticed that Mitch and Scott were almost always singing something, but since rejoining with Kirstie and Kevin, it had become so much worse. Not that it was a bad thing- until both Mitch and Kirstie began to demonstrate the whistle notes.

Esther stood beside her as they made dinner, that night, sighing quietly at the noises coming from the higher-pitched individuals. “You guys sound like baby dinosaurs,” she teased, sending them into a fit of giggles.

"Why, thank you, Cheeseball," Mitch gave her a flourishing bow.

"That wasn’t really a compliment."

"I’m taking it as a compliment, shush."

Relative quiet settled over the group, and Launa began to zone out as she stirred at the contents of the pot, waiting for it to heat to a healthy level until-  _dear **Lord** , what the  **fuck**  is that noise?!_ Some strange, buzzing multi-tone sound zapped through the kitchen, and she whipped her head around to find them grinning at Avi and  _how the hell is he making that noise and **make him stop.**_

She turned back around, cringing hard as the sound rattled her brain, making it feel like it was about to dribble out of her ears.  _Oh, please make him stop_. Turning to look over her shoulder as he stopped, Launa felt terrible for hearing it differently than they did, apparently, judging by the wide grins on their faces and the proud one on his.  _Just so long as he doesn’t do that again while so close to me, it shouldn’t be a problem._

 _We’re so not telling him that’s a bad noise_. She couldn’t bring herself to kill his almost childlike smile.  _Nope, we’re keeping that locked away_.

"You okay?" Esther murmured, elbowing her gently in the side, "You look constipated." Launa nodded, offering her a smile even though her skull felt like it was going to split open. There was a bit of a pause as the chatter continued. "I know- it’s a weird noise, isn’t it? Be glad you weren’t there when he first figured out how to do it." She couldn’t help but snort at the mental image, a little suprised to find the older woman laughing quietly with her.

______

The seven of them left the next morning, Esther locking the house behind them and casting a worried look over it as they left in search of a place to stand and sing. They all seemed to buzz with the excitement of performing, hopping over puddles as they walked down the streets, some of them shedding their coats halfway through the trip as it was unusually warm.

Finally, they found a spot that, after checking that they wouldn’t be in anyone’s way, they could stake out and settle into, falling into place beside each other in a manner that made it seem as though they’d been singing together since birth. Launa and Esther simply stood off to the side, waiting anxiously as the five of them conversed amongst themselves for a moment until counting off,  _one, two-_

Just like the two night previous, Scott started, quickly being joined by Kirstie and Mitch, singing the introduction and  _boom_ \- Kevin and Avi threw their own voices in, rumbling the very ground. Heads began to turn, some people slowing their pace as they passed to take in the song. They’d stood stiffly at first, only starting to loosen once they hit the chorus, passing glances and grins back and forth, practically feeding off the energy the others gave off.

It was like watching a magic act and Launa found herself bouncing along slightly, watching as they swayed in place and actually began to dance- however badly it might have been. It wasn’t until halfway through their second song that she realized she’d been just as entranced as those who had stopped to listen-  _whoa, where did they come from?_  A rather sizeable crowd had started to form, applauding when they finished one song and moved onto the next, a pile of items gradually forming off to the side,

After their fourth and final song, the crowd that had gathered was impressive and far more than any of them had expected. They grinned wide and thanked those who had stopped to listen for doing so and for what they had set down for them. Slowly but surely, the gathering began to dissipate after the final song, and the feeling of joy was almost tangible in the air, smile worn by nearly every person in the area.  _This- this right here. This is something special._

______

The trio bounced and skipped on their way back to the house, a few hours later, leaving the others to carry the impressive haul they’d gotten from their audience, singing ‘Avi and Kevin Claus are comin’ to town’, mocking the way the two men had their small, but stuffed bags slung over their shoulders.

Esther unlocked the door, pausing to let the others in first to unload the cans into the cupboards. Launa thanked her for holding the door, smiling slyly at the other woman as their neighbor approached, snickering at the pink tinge that colored her cheeks as he walked up to her. Darien, she thought she’d heard him introduce himself as, and, even though she’d tried to be sneaky about it, Esther’s side-long glance at him hadn’t been missed. She excused herself from the scene, leaving the two to get friendly.

Which, given from the obvious flirtation that could be seen out the window, didn’t take long.

The five vocalists were causing a havoc of noise all their own, flailing in a way that could technically be considered dancing- even Kevin, who was leaned back and waving his arms every which way. “That was great!” Mitch cried, bouncing in place and throwing an arm around Kirstie, “I missed that so much!”

"I know, right?" Kirstie agreed, tucking her fingertips under her chin and grinning wildly.

There was a general agreement to keep arranging and adding more material until, one by one, the excitement quickly faded into a crash, and they began to turn in for the night, or even for just a nap. Even as it claimed each of their energies, their joy was terribly infectious and Launa found herself practically skipping off to their room, bidding Esther a good night as she came back into the house. “Oh, hey, did Darien just want to say hi, or..?” she waggled her eyebrows at the other woman.

Esther stopped halfway up the steps, frowning comically in an almost mirror of her brother’s face, breaking into laughter after only a moment. “He just wanted to say that, if we all head out like that again, we can ask him to keep an eye on the house,” she smiled fondly at nothing in particular, “Nice guy. Not sure if I completely trust him, but he seems sweet.” She pointed over the top of Launa’s head. “Not a word, young man.”

The sound of Avi’s jaw clicking shut sounded from behind the redhead, chuckling as Esther bid them good night and headed to her room. Launa gave a startled yelp as he quickly wound his arms around her waist, lifiting her off her feet and pulling her into the room, laughing as he shut the door behind them.

  
______

They decided to not go out and sing every day, opting to give their voices a rest, instead, especially since they’d been so well-recieved. “If we do it every day, our kitchen’s gonna overflow,” Kevin said, glancing at the nearly stuffed cabinets, “and it’ll give us more time to arrange stuff, too.”

The decision was unanimous, leaving the entire group to chatter amongst themselves as they planned. Sitting alone at the kitchen table, Launa observed them quietly. Esther had gone next door to visit Darien, and the five musically-inclined members of their group seemed happy to sit and visit and arrange. And as Avi told the others about their run-in with the frozen lake, she fought down the pang of hurt as he didn’t even glance in her direction.  _Now, quit that_ , she scolded herself,  _You had him all to yourself for a long time. You knew this would happen when he got back to his family, now get over it._

She fidgeted, uncomfortable with the anxiety pulling at her seams and the roiling of her stomach. The wide grin that stretched across his sharp teeth made her feel floaty with the amount of happiness he gave off in waves, and made her almost physically pull in on herself at the sense of dread settling in her heart.  _Stop it. You’re being stupid._

Moving as silently as possible to avoid drawing attention to herself or interrupting their conversation, Launa slipped into their bedroom, quietly shutting the door behind her. She heaved a sigh of relief, a pressure removing itself from her skull as she shut out the noise and presence of the others.  _You’re better off alone._

_Wow, brain, really? I told you to stop thinking those things, now **stop it**._

She flopped face first onto the bed, sprawling across the entirety of it and inhaled the warm caramel smooth smell from Avi’s pillow.  _Ugh, I’m hopeless_. Curling onto her side, she pulled the covers over herself, ready to sink into a nap- until a quiet knock sounded on the door. “Who is it?” she groaned.

"Who it is," came the reply, Mitch’s soft voice barely audible through the door. She smiled, reminded of last month, and called him inside. His eyebrows were drawn into a frown as he shut the door behind him. "Hey," he greeted, "Are you okay?"

Launa flopped onto her other side to face him as he stepped further into the room, unwilling to sit up. “Yeah,” she sighed, “Just too many people.”

He nodded solemnly, offering a small smile. “Same,” he murmured, “I love these guys, but it’s nice to be by yourself sometimes.” She nodded in agreement, and his eyes widened. “And I am totally stepping all over your alone time- I’m so sorry!”

"Hey, no, you’re okay," Launa assured as he turned to leave, "I don’t mind a little bit of company. Really."

Mitch slowly turned on his heel, testing to see if she was telling the truth, then tentatively made his way back over, kneeling on the floor beside the bed. “I’m gonna take a wild guess and say I’m probably not the little bit of company you really want, though,” he said, a ghost of a smile playing at the corners of his lips.

She grumbled and screwed her face up at him. “You think you’re so clever,” she laughed, “Nah, I like your company, Mitch. You’re fun to be around.”

"Oh, why thank you," he said, giving her a cute grin and wrinkling up his nose, "Real talk, though-"

"I don’t wanna do real talk, Mitchie," she groaned, "I just want to hang out with you, maybe, and take a nap and sleep off all this socialization."

The dark-haired young man nodded, leaning forward and folding his arms on the edge of the bed, resting his head on them. “No, I understand,” he started, pulling idly at a wrinkle in the sheets, “You can’t be afraid to ask him for some of his time, though. We can all tell you that he gets pretty single-minded sometimes. Remind him that there’s other things besides music.”

Launa chewed on her lip as she processed Mitch’s words, staring into space as he stood, gently squeezing her shoulder. “I’ll leave you alone,” he whispered, “You look like you’re gonna pass out pretty soon.”

She remained silent for a moment longer, sitting up slightly as he opened the door. “Mitch?” He turned to look over his shoulder at her and she gave him a small smile. “Thanks for checking on me.”

He just grinned wide. “That’s what friends do, Red.” Without another word, he wiggled his fingers at her and shut the door behind him, the room falling into silence with a soft  _click_.

_But he’s been stuck with me for months on end, and he only just reunited with his sister and his friends._

_But he doesn’t need me nagging at him when he’s just trying to find normalcy._

_But he’s in love with music._

______

She didn’t realize she’d slept all night until the sun assaulted her eyes the next morning. Groaning, she turned over, only slightly surprised to find the warm mass that was a sleeping Avi waiting for her. Launa sighed heavily and buried her face into his chest, throwing a leg over his hip as he sleepily draped his arm over her. He rumbled something that sounded like ‘good morning’, dipping his obscenely warm and under her shirt and up her spine, and she couldn’t help but smile against his skin, mumbling her own greeting.

 _See? He’s still here. There’s no need to feel like you did, yesterday._  Annoyed at the reminding feeling in her gut, she scowled and involuntarily, almost jealously pulled closer to him. He inhaled deeply, squeezing her tight and stretched, rubbing his face into her neck and groaning incoherently.

Launa shivered as he pressed a lazy kiss to her neck, moving sloppily up to and along her jaw before his lips met hers, smiling against her as he ran his hands along her ribs. She sighed into his mouth, her skin igniting where he touched it and arching into his hands. “Good morning, indeed,” she laughed as he broke the kiss, nipping lazily along her collarbones, rolling them over to lay partially on her.

He laughed low in his chest, sighing contentedly over her skin, moving his hands to push her shirt up, pressing his lips against her exposed sternum before reluctantly pulling away. She grumbled, annoyed as his solid weight was lifted from her, petulantly hooking her legs around his hips in an attempt to pull him back to her, but to no avail. “I’m sorry, baby,” Avi murmured, kissing the corner of her mouth, “I’ve got stuff to take care of, today.”

She captured his lips for just a moment, scraping her teeth over his lower lip and triumphantly relishing the little whimper that escaped his throat. “So early in the day?” she groaned, reluctantly releasing her grip on him, running her hand from his hair and down over the smooth warmth of his back one more time.

"Yeah," he sighed, resting his forehead against hers, whispering, "I’ll make it up to you, I promise."

Feeling more than a little annoyed but keeping control over her face, Launa nodded and left him alone to dress and join his friends in the living area, bracing herself for another day of endless noise.  _Just be happy for him. Just be happy._

______

As the day went on, Launa became increasingly irritated at the hard smile she pulled over her lips.  _Man, I don’t deal with jealousy well in any way_. She found herself biting back her temper and keeping her teeth clenched, every sung note grating on her nerves rather than soothing them as they’d been doing.

"You alright?" Esther asked her quietly, noticing the way the redhead’s fists were clenched against the outer seam of her jeans.

"I’m fine," Launa snapped, immediately scrubbing her hand over her face, "I’m sorry, Esther. That was rude." The other woman just offered her a small smile and patted her on the shoulder, telling her not to worry about it.

She glanced out of the window, checking the sun’s position out of habit, even though they had a clocked plugged into the wall of the living room.  _It’s barely past noon_ , she thought with an annoyed sigh.  _You need to remove yourself before you take someone’s head off. It’s not their fault that you’ve got your panties in a twist._  She hadn’t noticed that they had called a break in song-arranging until Kevin danced past her and up to Esther, and- “Hello, Missy.”

Launa jumped as Avi’s thunder rolled in her ear and his arms wound around her waist, resting his bristly chin on her shoulder, scratching against her exposed skin. As glad as she was to have him pressed against her back, she couldn’t ignore the pang of irritation deep in her gut. “Who the hell you callin’ Missy?” She tried hard to keep the harsh tone from her voice, hoping he wouldn’t pick up on her bad mood.

Pulling his arms from around her, he ghosted his fingers over her bare arms, dipping down to tug at the hem of her red sleevless shirt. “I have something to show you,” he breathed in her ear, “Wear something comfortable for travelling and meet me outside?” Avi waited for her response, watching as she flicked her green eyes over his face before finally nodding. Kissing her cheek, he pulled himself away from her, her back suddenly cold.

 _What the hell does the jerk have up his sleeve?_  Launa frowned, trudging into their room and pulling on the clothes she’d travelled in the most, tying up her hiking boots before heading out the front door, confused at the little grin Kirstie shot her. Closing the door behind her, she found Avi standing there in his brown coat and black scarf, his hands shoved into his pants pockets, grinning as she joined him. “What’s going on?” she asked, becoming increasingly worried as she spotted a bag sitting beside him.

"We’re gonna take a trip," he said simply, "If you want to, that is. We’ll be back in a couple of days, or sooner if you’d like."

Launa frowned at him, suspicious. “What’s this all about, Avi?”

He just shrugged, smiling wide and heaving the bag onto his shoulder. “I’ll tell you when we get there.” He held his hand out to her, interlocking their fingers as she tentatively took it, and lead her away from the house.

______

Her irritation of the past few days morphed into confusion as Avi lead her outside the city limits and deep into a forested area, a wide grin on his face as they walked. “Where are we going?” Launa called to him after an hour or so’s walk, glancing around to get her bearings.

He stopped in his tracks, scanning the area before setting the bag down. “Right here,” he announced proudly, turning and pressing her hard against him, a playful smile on his lips, “We’re going right here.”

Launa blinked at him, confused. “The middle of nowhere?”

Avi bent to kiss her, cradling her face in his hands, angling his face against hers. She shivered and wound her arms around his neck, leaning into him as he molded his lips to hers, tugging at her bottom lip and swiping his tongue along hers. Her head swam, soaking in his heat and  _did he always kiss like this?_

She whimpered as he broke the kiss, leaning forward in an attempt to reclaim his lips, frowning at the low laugh he gave. “Come on,” he murmured, “Let’s get the annoying stuff out of the way, first.”

______

"So," Launa asked, flopping down on the ground as Avi finished putting up the tent, dealing with the little details she’d had problems with, "What’s going on?"

He grinned over his shoulder, looking as though he were waiting for something, his face falling as she didn’t react. “Do you not know what day it is?” She shook her head, then fumbled for her notepad.

"February 14th," she mumbled to herself, "February 14th..?" She flicked her gaze up at him, still frowning in confusion. "Okay..?"

Avi’s eyes went wide. “Launa,” he started, punching out the last nuance of the tent before crouching beside her, “It’s Valentine’s Day.”

 _Oh. **Oh**_.

She blinked rapidly, watching as he lit up as realization washed over her face, clasping his hands together and looking down at them, readjusting his balance as he crouched. “I’ve realized that I’ve kind of been the non-boyfriend, lately,” he murmured, his mouth curving into a frown, “I mean, I’m so glad to be back with Esther and my friends, but I’ve not really balanced them and you.”

"They came first," Launa heard herself blurt out, "I’m okay, really."

Avi sat on the ground beside her, shaking his head. “It’s been unacceptable behavior,” he continued, pausing to offer her a small, sheepish smile, “So that’s what this is. Trying to say I’m sorry and Happy Valentine’s Day.” He took in a deep, shaky breath, “I figured that out here would be best, y’know? It’s what we’re used to.”

Launa glanced around, a sense of comfort in the solitude settling in her bones. She reached out and brushed her fingers over the back of hand, taking it in hers. “Thank you,” she said, squeezing his hand, inhaling shakily and pressing a kiss to his cheek, “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

He smiled warmly at her, pulling her into his lap and chuckling at her yelp of surprise, one hand moving to support her back and the other resting on her thigh. “Forgive me?” he mumbled against her lips, pulling her in close.

"For what?" she asked, "Enjoying time with your friends and family?  _How dare you_.” She felt his grin widen against hers, tingles running up her spine as his fingers brushed along her inner thigh. Sighing contentedly, Launa slid her arms around his neck, slipping her fingers up the contours of his jaw and neck, winding into his curls as they kissed languidly.

She shuddered as he broke the contact, kissing a line down her jaw and scraped his teeth along her neck, growling low against her skin and running his hands up her back and boldly along her inner thigh. “Gods,” she breathed, her fingers tugging at his hair, “Please tell me we’re gonna have a ridiculous amount of sex, tonight.”

Avi laughed low into her collarbone before carefully maneuvering them both to simultaneously stand and lift her. “Oh, Launa,” he purred into her ear, “Only when you tell me to stop.”

"Even you have to exhaust at some point," she snorted, grappling awkwardly to try to help him lift her- which, of course, was useless, "There’s only so much stamina one person can have."

He hummed for a moment, thinking it over. “I don’t know,” he gave her a teasing smirk, “I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve.”

She’d never really enjoyed Valentine’s Day. They’d always been a bummer, even when she was involved with someone.  _Somehow_ , she thought later, as she felt Avi kiss up her thigh, unable to see past his scarf,  _This one is shaping up to be pretty damn good._

______

Launa woke slowly the next morning, somehow feeling exhausted and rested all at the same time, her limbs warm and heavy as she tried to move them, stretching lazily. Cracking open her eyes, she sluggishly registered her surroundings: Somewhat hard bedding, sturdy tent material - _oh, I’m in a tent. I must be on the ground_.- a cool draft coming from somewhere in the vicinity of her feet and the entrance, and something big, warm, and snoring curled against her back.

She smiled sleepily, shifting slightly to peek over her shoulder at the unconscious Avi, his nose pressed into her hair and his arm draped over her waist. Upon her small movement, he inhaled deeply and pulled her tighter against him, rubbing his face into her neck and groaning. “Sorry,” Launa whispered, “I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

He hummed in response and dropped a sloppy, open-mouthed kiss on her shoulder once, twice, three times before smiling into her skin and moving to let her roll over. She smiled sleepily up at him, combing her fingers through his hair. ” ‘Morning,” he croaked, his voice thick with sleep and his eyes still not quite open, “Sleep okay?”

"Oddly enough," she answered, "Yes. I must be used to sleeping on the ground. Although the excellent company might’ve done it."

Avi, laughing under his breath, eased himself down to lay halfway on her, burying his face in her neck, remaining there for a long moment as she traced lazy patterns across his back before groaning. “I don’t want to put clothes on.”

She screwed up her face.  _That sounds so not comfortable. Can’t we just stay right here for, I dunno… however long we want?_  She sighed into his shoulder, letting her fingers slide along the curve of his spine. “You and me, both, dude.”

______

They opted to simply go for shirts and pants, especially after Avi remembered that he’d told the others that they’d be gone a maximum of three days. “And this is only because I don’t want to freeze my ass off,” Launa insisted, laying down and yanking her jeans up over her hips, glaring at him as she caught him eyeing her bare chest, “I see you. Quit smirking at me and put your pants on.”

"That’s the exact opposite of what I want to hear," he said, snorting and laughing as she tossed her bra at him.

They spent much of the day doing absolutely nothing, simply lounging around, talking and laughing, interrupted by bouts of ‘I can’t keep my hands off you’ and ‘let’s never wear a single stitch ever again’. “Does it feel like we should be travelling?” she asked, playing with Avi’s hair as he rested his head against her chest, “I feel like we’re wasting the day by not moving.”

"Old habits die hard," he mumbled, sighing contentedly as she combed her fingers through his curls, his arms wound loosely around her, "I feel it, too. Like we’ve got to get up and get going."

Launa hummed, smoothing her other hand over his shoulder. “I wonder how long it’ll take for that to go away?”

He shifted, moving to rest his chin on her chest and looking up at her. “What, you mean the need to travel?” She nodded, and he bit his lip as he thought. “It probably won’t take too long. Maybe a couple of months, at most.”

 _Somehow, I doubt that. If nothing else, I want to travel more now that we’ve made it to our goal. Maybe it’s just the law of inertia. “An object in motion tends to stay in motion unless stopped by an opposite force” or something like that._  Her thoughts were cut off as Avi crawled up to nip gently at her bottom lip and a hand ghosted up her side. _I’ll think about that later, shall I?_


	59. Chapter 59

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥

After a couple of days of doing nothing productive, but plenty of others- Launa proudly waved Avi's scarf at him, causing him to glare comically for half a second before splitting into an embarrassed grin and rubbing absently at his wrists- they headed back to the house, practically tripping down a hill on their way down. Avi slid his fingers between hers, clasping their hands together as they walked and smiling almost shyly as he gently pulled her closer to his side. "I love you," he murmured, bringing her hand up and briefly kissing her knuckles.

She pulled him to stop, whirling him around and grinning at the surprised look on his face as she stretched to press her lips against his in response, lingering until the words that weighed heavily on her tongue slid back down her throat, and only then pulling away. The look on his face was priceless, wavering somewhere between shocked and happy for a moment before settling on the latter, his mouth stretching into a wide grin. He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead and started off, again, their fingers still intertwined.

______

Thankfully, the others didn't act like they'd been gone for any length of time, sparing her the awkwardness- until she caught Scott waggling his pale eyebrows at the pair. So did Kirstie, who quickly jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow, quietly scolding him. And with that, life settled back into some semblance of normalcy.

The five vocalists began arranging again, Esther helped corral them into different areas of the rebuilding city to perform, and both she and Launa would help start a crowd if they had trouble getting one, clapping enthusiastically to get others' attention. They would occasionally come across other performers- Launa was particulary fond of the little band that moved like robots and sang about what it was like to be one, even striking up conversation with one of the twins the band consisted of. Esther had quickly come up and excused the pair of them just as Launa had traded names with them, realizing that they'd been away from the other five for a bit too long. They bid farewell to the group, promising to come back and see them again, sometime. It would be another week until Launa took Avi down to watch the 'singing robots', as she'd called them, forgetting the band's actual name.

A rhythm developed in their lives: Wake up, have breakfast and practice if they weren't going out, warm up if they were, come back and mull around the house, fixing it up in little ways to make it more theirs, have dinner and talk for a long while- maybe sing a little bit if it came up, which it usually did- and go to bed. It fit perfectly, for them, like clockwork. Day in and day out, and Launa felt the welcoming sense of belonging, even though something danced just at the edge of her brain, just slightly out of reach, as though something was wrong or missing.

Time passed faster than any of them expected.

______

Struggling against the exertion, yet fueled by the adrenaline pumping through her system, she heaved Avi onto her back, dragging him and the bags to the car and heaving him into the passenger side, slamming the door behind him and turning to find two men descending upon her.

"Don't  _fuck_  with me!" she shouted, raising her blade to plunge into one of her attackers' chests, only to have both of her wrists pinned to the hood of the car. She snarled at them, kicking and flailing, fury raging through her.

_Fight._

_Scream._

Hands roughly gripped her hips, a gruff voice spitting something _something what is he saying I don't understand and-_

Launa jerked awake, gasping and pushing at thin air. She froze, breathing heavily as she waited for the panic to pass, closing her eyes hard.  _It was just a nightmare. It's not real. It **was**  real, I suppose, but it's over. It's over._

She glanced over at Avi, not surprised to find him sound asleep, his jaw slack and snoring softly with his hair a tousled mess around his head. She breathed a shaky sigh of relief.  _At least I didn't wake him up this time._

The nightmares hadn't ceased and had, in fact, become more frequent the more she tried to ignore them and suppress the memories. _It was defense_ , she told herself for the millionth time, sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed,  _They were trying to kill us and I defended against them. Anyone else would have done the same thing_.

Sighing, she stood, swiping Avi's t-shirt from the foot of the bed and tugging it over her head, only slightly distracted by the annoyance of her shoulders almost hitting the same spots in the shirt where his did. Launa crossed her arms over her chest, pacing quietly around the room, chewing on her lip and trying to walk off the adrenaline and forget about the feel of blood hitting her face.

The ghost feeling of strange hands on her hips hit her hard and made her stop and start to double over at the nauseated feeling in her gut.  _Okay, stop. You're inferring things that didn't happen. If you'd been assaulted by those two guys, you'd have been damaged a lot more than you were._

 _They were thinking about it, though._  She made her way to the window, leaning heavily against the sill and cracking the window open, the cool breeze washing over her clammy face. Closing her eyes, Launa inhaled deeply through her nose, wrinkling it at the kelp smell and coughing, instantly regretting it.

Something changed in the scent, registering slightly differently in her brain. The air suddenly smelled cold, as though it were about to snow, mixing with the odd smell of coffee, wood and some pleasant, familiar, almost antique scent-

Nostalgia hit her like a blow to the gut, her knees almost buckling at the force of it. She gripped the window sill, suddenly placing her finger on what she felt was wrong.  _Oh Gods. I miss my Mom and Grandma.I'm homesick_. Ice slid into her stomach as her eyes began to water, her heart aching with the need to embrace her family.

_I want to go home._

"Launa?" Avi called, halfway sitting up and blinking blearily as if he'd been startled awake, "What's wrong?"

She sniffed, wiping at her eyes as she realized that she'd begun to cry. "Nothing," she said quickly, angrily brushing her tears aside, "Go back to sleep."

He heaved himself out of bed, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. "What's wrong, baby?" he repeated, his voice hushed and thick with sleep.

"Nothing," she said again, annoyed at his persistence, "Just go back to sleep, Avriel."

He shook his head, his beard scratching against the side of her face as he bent to whisper in her ear. "Not when you've been crying. Please talk to me," he asked quietly of her, hugging her tighter, "Is it the nightmares?"

Launa hesitated then, after a moment's consideration, she nodded. _I can't tell him. I can't just spring that on him._  And, much to her horror, a familiar anger crept into her veins.  _Fuck you for making me obligated to guard your feelings. Fuck you for making me care about you. Fuck you for getting under my skin **fuck you**  I don't want to feel like I have to do this. Why can't I trust you not to be sad when I tell you how I feel about this?_

_It's not him you don't trust. He might react just fine. It's you who needs to stop acting like this._

She felt her muscles become tense, even as Avi rocked her gently.  _Stop that. There's no reason to be angry at him because of your feelings._  With a sigh, she fought the anger away, cursing her years of being emotionally constipated and relaxed into his grip.

_I'll tell him later._

She agreed to come back to bed, sliding under the blankets and curling into his heat, resting her head against his shouder as he wrapped her up tight, cradling her against his body. "Anything I can do to help you sleep?"

Sighing, Launa shook her head. "No, I don't think so," she tucked herself further against him, shivering at the way his hands felt on her back, "I just need to try."

She felt Avi sigh quietly against her cheek, and, after a long pause, he asked, "What about if I sing?"

She pulled back just enough to look up at him. "Your guys' singing usually keeps me awake, though, so," she trailed off, trying not to sound rude, but still working through the irrational anger ghosting through her brain, "...yeah."

"But it's just me," he said, his voice hushed, combing his fingers through her long, red hair, "And I know that my humming used to put you to sleep. It did a few months ago, at least."

A pang of guilt shot through her and agreed after a moment, settling back against his chest. He inhaled deeply, almost hesitantly, and began to softly sing something that sounded familiar. As his voice worked into her system, relaxing each muscle, she slowly placed it as the song he'd sung to her when she was sick.  _A Christmas song, I think_ , she thought feeling as though she was drifting, her entire body going slack.  _Isn't that funny. And I'd never even heard it before him._

Just as sleep overcame her, Launa hazily noticed the floating gold wisps of his voice.

_Mom would like his singing. I want him to meet her. I want him to come home with me._

_I want to go home._

_I'll tell him later._

_...No I won't._

______

Another week passed within what felt like the space of a day. The entirety of Los Angeles was heating up, and the trio rejoiced at not having to wear their coats, anymore, poking at the redhead for having abandoned hers long ago. "You Californians and Texans with your thin-ass blood." she grumbled, fist-bumping Kevin when he reminded her that he wasn't originally from either state.

Esther began to get more closely acquainted with their next-door neighbor, happily chattering to her when she asked how Darien was. Kirstie, Mitch and Scott invited the two women to join them in their room for a 'girls' night in', one night, the five of them piling onto the three beds and leaving Avi and Kevin to 'be boys' together.

They giggled and shoved at each other, Scott rolling completely off one of the beds at one point, grabbing onto Kirstie's leg and attempting to take her down with him. Mitch fell asleep, first, resting his head against Scott's arm as he snoozed on his stomach, the others lowering their voices so as to not disturb him, but still giddy.

The trio fell asleep one by one, both Mitch and Kirstie ending up curled with their heads resting on Scott's torso, who had fallen asleep sideways on the bed, his long limbs flopped carelessly over each side and his head resting at a strange angle. Esther and Launa snickered quietly at them.

"Get some sleep, kiddo," Esther told her, patting the redhead's back and settling onto her side. Launa, still unused to the strange fondness that the older woman seemed to have developed, was startled, but nodded and laid on the free bed, recognizing it as Kirstie's by the yellow pillowcase.

Unsurprisingly, sleep didn't come easily, and Launa sighed silently, annoyed at her brain for keeping her awake. _I better not be developing insomnia or some shit._  She fidgeted, irritated at the high-pitched whistle that was Mitch's snore and strained to hear the low sounds of Avi and Kevin's voices as they spoke and laughed out in the living area.

All at once, she felt very detached from her life. These weren't the people she was used to. This wasn't her family. This wasn't her home. This wasn't where she was supposed to be. She could feel herself detaching from everything around her, prying friendships loose inside her skull.

_Wait, what are we doing?_

_We have to go home._

She turned her head to look her friends over, at the trio all curled together like cats and the woman with whom she'd had a rocky start.  _But they're my friends._

_Are they?_

_You haven't known them for very long. How could you call them friends?_

_Because they seem to like me, I like them, and we get along pretty damned well._

_Is that true? Do you like them because **you**  like them, or because you feel like you have to get along with them because they're Avi's friends?_

Launa stopped short, frowning as she scanned the room.  _No, I definitely like them because I like them and Kevin._

_And I love Avi._

Her heart stopped in her chest and her limbs went cold. She'd been thinking it for several weeks, the words playing just behind her teeth anytime the opportunity to say it presented itself to her, but in the end, fear always won out. _If you say it, it'll end._

_I don't want it to end._

_But I want to go home._

_I **need**  to go home._

_I haven't seen Mom and Grandma in almost nine months, and I haven't spoken to them in half a year. They probably think I'm dead. I have to let them know I'm okay. I have to make sure that they're okay._

_He said he'd go with me, but his family is here. His family needs him._

Pain shot through her chest, her heart clenching painfully in her chest.  _I want him to come with me._

_But they need him more._

She argued with herself for hours, her brain running circles around itself deep into the night.

But by the time the sun started to rise, she knew what she'd have to do.

______

They creeped into April, rain becoming more frequent, but never escalating into floods, and not a single tsunami struck. They continued on as they had, singing new and original songs and performing them, pausing only when Mitch's weak immune system gave out on him and struck him with a cold that rendered him silent and alone in his room, as Scott and Kirstie fled to sleep on the couch to avoid getting sick.

Kevin began to strike up conversation with one of the girls from the neighborhood, proudly showing off his beat-boxing skills when she asked. Esther and Launa both agreed to assist Avi in cutting his hair, as it had gotten ridiculously long, which ended in the redhead stradding his lap and pinning him in place as his sister cut his hair, much to his chagrin.

Kirstie had begun to talk to one of the guys that frequently attended their performances, struggling to get a closer look as they had become well-known among the community. Scott and Mitch came across a box with a kitten inside, one day, immediately scooping up the little sphinx cat and taking him home with them, proudly naming him Wyatt Blue.

Launa slowly detached herself from each person, becoming distant as she watched their life commence so as to not attract attention. She simply nodded and smiled as exciting things happened to each person, trying to ignore the gut-wrenching guilt that had begun to consume her. "Are you okay?" Kevin asked her one day, startling her.

"Yeah," she lied, "I'm fine."

The oldest of the boys frowned, squinting suspiciously at her. "Yeah, I don't really believe that," he said as he sat on the chair beside the mustard couch where she was perched, "You've been acting kinda funny, and not really in a good way."

_I'm lying to each and every one of you._

"Thanks for being concerned, Kev," she said, smiling sweetly, "But really, I'm okay." She reached out and patted him on the shoulder, squeezing it gently as she stood and walked off to the bedroom she shared with Avi. Closing the door behind her, she heaved a sigh and pulled her bag out from under the bed, checking the contents she'd been steadily collecting.

_I have just about everything. I could leave tonight._

Ice slipped into her stomach.

_I could leave tonight._

_And you're not even going to try to talk to him about it?_

She shook her head, taking in a shaky breath. _It'll be better, this way. He'll argue, and I can't take him from his family just so I can be with mine._

_This is for the best._

______

Launa moved silently, and she idly entertained the thought of _maybe I was a thief in another life_  as she slipped her jacket and boots on. Her decision weighed heavy on her heart, and breathing seemed to be more difficult than it had ever been.  _Worse than walking through the desert with him. Worse than being exhausted after sleeping with him. Worse than-_  She stopped herself, taking in a deep, shuddering breath and squeezing her eyes shut.

_You can't back out of this. You have to do this._

She nodded to herself, steadying herself as best as she could. She turned to dig into one of the bags, silently shuffling things around to pull out a notepad- one that was newer than the one she'd been recording all of the days of their journey in, but still held all the same information, with maybe a few embellishments. Launa had taken the last couple of days to copy the original journal's data into the new one, adding notes here and there of things she remembered from that day that she hadn't written down.

Despite her better judgement, she flipped through the new one, noticing that, as she had progressed, her notes had become increasingly dedicated to his reading.  _December 24th- Settled in a truck stop along the highway. Fucking cold. You gave me a garnet necklace for Christmas._

Launa touched the pendant hanging around her neck.

_January 23rd- Met Esther, Scott, and Mitch. Nice kids. Esther scares me a little, and I don't think she likes me very much. Scott and Mitch are a lot of fun. I hope Scott heals soon- rolled ankles suck. Thanks for making sure I was comfortable with meeting your friends and sister._

_January 28th- Almost to LA, and Scott's healing pretty well. We argued, today. I hate arguing with you. And then we argued with Esther. Everything got resolved, though. And you told me you loved me._

_February 5th- Finally in LA. Scott is able to walk, but carefully. Still looking for his other friends, Kirstie and Kevin. I hope we find them, soon._

_later- WE FOUND THEM!! I've never seen so much happiness in one place. They definitely look like they go together._

Launa paused, bringing the image of the five friends smashing themselves into a giant group hug to the forefront of her mind, laughing and smiling and her heart stopped, just as it had, that day, upon recalling Avi's smile.

Warmth bloomed in her chest, accompanied by an ache in her heart at just how happy he'd looked, and how happy she'd been for him. She wiped angrily at the tears that had begun to form in the corners of her eyes. Goddammit. She dug into her bag, retrieving a pen to add a note onto the date.

_February 5th- The day I realized I'd fallen in love with you._

The stark contrast of the ink against the white pages burned itself onto her retinas as she considered her decision, once more.

_The day I realized I'd fallen in love with you._

She stood silently, and padded over to the bed that they'd been sharing for the past two months. Avi's arm was sprawled into the space where she usually laid, his fingers curled in the sheets and his hair a brown, curly mess about his head, his eyelashes fanned against his cheekbones and snoring softly. The ache in her heart returned, clenching painfully at just how  _fucking beautiful_  he was, and how consuming that horrible, affectionate feeling for him was.

She wanted to cry.

She didn't want this.

She wanted nothing more than to just crawl back into bed and tuck her head under his chin, soaking up his heat and listen to the the steady thumping of his heart.

She didn't want this.

Launa held her breath, bending to press a gentle kiss to his lips, closing her eyes to take in every sensation she could- the softness of his lips, the rough scratch of his beard, his caramel taste and smell, his warmth- and she drew away. She remained motionless as he shifted in his sleep, inhaling deeply and letting it out in a sigh, his fingers curling tighter into the sheets, as if to seek her out.

She bit her lip, fighting the tears that threatened to spill as she laid the copy of her travel notes near his hand, breathing shakily. "I love you."

______

Launa slipped out the door soundlessly, hauling her bags up onto her back and down the road toward the north. She'd stolen a map, and had etched out a path for herself. She inhaled steadily, trying to steel herself.  _Get over it. You've always gotten over it._

_Gods, you're worse than your father._

She shook the thought away.  _No._

_At least he fucking said 'goodbye'._

_Stop it._

She shut the thought out, trying to ignore the onslaught of hatred from inside her own skull. She hated this, hated  _herself_  for doing this. Her steadying breath suddenly whooshed inside her, accompanied by a pained sob.  _No. Stop that. Launa paused to collect herself, refusing to give in or look back at the_  little apartment complex.

Hesitantly, she stepped forward, again, walking down the road with her heavy load and aching emptiness swirling around her rib cage.  _You're going to hate yourself, forever._

_I know._

Gods, she wanted nothing more than to just go back. _My family needs me. And his family needs him._

_This is for the best._

Launa nodded to herself, picking up the pace.

" **Launa!** "

She hesitated, then continued to walk, squeezing her eyes shut.  _No no no no, I'm not Launa. Just go back to bed. Please don't make this any harder._

" **Launa, wait!** "

At first, she wasn't sure if she'd hallucinated it out of sheer desperation, but after the second call echoed down the empty and broken street, she couldn't deny what she'd heard. She didn't stop.

And the thundering footsteps that came running toward her didn't stop, either. Strong hands grasped at her upper arm, whirling her around, midstep, forcing her to face Avi. Stress was written into every feature, every crinkle around his eyes and the furrow between his brows as he caught his breath. Launa's heart clenched as he grasped her by the shoulders, forcing her bags to fall to the ground. "What's going on?" he demanded, "Launa, tell me what's going on!"

She shook her head, not wanting to answer him, despite knowing she'd have to, now. He shook her gently by the shoulders, demanding her to answer him. "Baby, please," he pleaded, his voice wavering, "What are you doing?"

Launa tried to inhale, failing and gasping a sob, instead, sending her hand flying to her mouth to stifle it and the pained pitch to her voice. "Please, Avi, just let me-"

"No," he said, firmly, his fingers digging into her shoulders, slightly, "No, I can't just let you. Why are you doing this?" She didn't want to look him in the eye, but he held her gaze all the same, his green eyes piercing daggers through her own. "Tell me. Did I do something wrong? What?"

She bit her lip, her hands going to his, involuntarily. "I have to go home, Avi," she breathed, the air heavy and thick between them, "I've been here for too long. I  _need_  to go home."

"No, no, no," he murmured, shaking his head, "No, we're supposed to go, together. You promised me you'd take me up north."

Launa couldn't help but laugh. "We both know that was a lie, Avriel," she said, trying to smile but only ending up twisting her face into one of sorrow, "We both knew you wouldn't go any further than LA."

His frown deepened, his eyes wet. "You may have thought that, but I  _always_  had the intention of going with you," he said, his hands moving to grasp hers firmly, "I never lied to you."

She took in a deep breath, steadying herself for the biggest lie she'd ever told. "Well, I did," she felt her heart shatter in her chest as he drew back a little, disbelief etching itself into his face as tears tumbled down his cheeks. "I knew I'd never take you north, with me. We would never travel to Europe, or Egypt, or Israel." She paused, her entire body shivering with contained emotion. "I'm a liar, Avi. Please, just hate me and let me leave."

Avi withdrew his hands from her for a moment, only to move back a second later and hold her tight against him, even as she pushed at him to let her go. "I don't believe you," he breathed, voice thick, "I don't believe you for a single fucking second. I could never hate you.  _Never_."

"Avi, please," Launa sobbed into his shoulder, loosely curling her fingers in his shirt, "Please just let me go home. I have to go home."

"I'll take you," he insisted into her hair, holding her tighter, "You need someone to watch your back."

She shook her head violently. "You need to stay here," she argued, pushing weakly and angering herself, cursing her weakness.  _Don't give in._  "You need to stay and take care of them, Avi, they need you."

"I need you."

The choked statement made her stop cold, going rigid as he wrapped her impossibly tighter against himself. "Please," he pleaded into her hair, "Please, just come back inside. We'll work something out. Please, Launa." Avi's fingers dug into her back, his jaw pressed against her hairline and his warmth seeping into her and  _gods_  she didn't want to leave him. "I'm  _begging_  you," his words were almost strangled with tears, "Please don't leave like this. Launa, please."

She inhaled deeply, breathing him in, and slung her arms around his waist. _I can't do it like this. It wasn't supposed to go this way_. "Please," Avi choked out, becoming increasingly upset at her silence, "Launa, please. I love you."

He'd said it so many times, before, but there was something so markedly different and  _desperate_  in the words that ignited dynamite in her.

Launa lost control. Every bit of stress and sorrow she'd felt since Grand Junction, exploded, breaking down the steel walls she'd set up around herself bursting open and she collapsed against him, giving in to any and all support he offered her.  _Just this once,_  she promised herself, sobbing into his shirt and digging her nails into his back, apologizing and holding onto him for dear life.

He rocked her gently, stroking her hair and holding her as sobs wracked her entire frame, murmuring assurances into her ear, telling her it would be okay, telling her "I've got you", asking her to go back to the house and repeating, over and over, the words that completely destroyed her defenses. He kissed her temple, running his hands soothingly over her back. "Let's go back to bed," Avi suggested, quietly, "Please?"

She sniffed hard and, after a moment's pause, nodded. "Okay," she murmured, voice thick and muffled into his chest. They remained motionless for a long while, simply leaning into one another. "I hate you," she mumbled, and a choked, watery chuckle sounded from inside his chest.

"No, you don't."


	60. Chapter 60

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥
> 
> Warning: This chapter is NSFW. Proceed with caution.

They didn't speak another word as they shuffled back into the house, trying to be as quiet as possible. Even though they fell asleep almost instantly, unease seemed to permeate the whole room. She woke frequently, hearing Avi swearing under his breath and shifting, breathing a sigh of relief when he reached out and touched her shoulder. "I'm here," she mumbled, reaching over her shoulder for his hand. He pulled her close against him, sighing into her neck and wrapping his arms tight around her waist, as if pleading for her to stay.

Launa took in a shaky breath, annoyed at the stuffiness of her sinuses and puffy itchiness of her eyes. _Gods, I hate crying._

_What am I going to do?_

______

The next morning, Launa woke slowly, peeling her sticky eyelids open and cursing the gluey effect of her tears, taking only a second to realize that the space beside her was empty, but still held the ghost of Avi's warmth.  _He hasn't been up for very long._

Almost timidly, she heaved herself out of bed, her stomach twisting anxiously as she gripped the door handle.  _You got yourself into this, Reynolds. You have to deal with the consequences, now._

She glanced around the room, pausing on the bags Avi had carried back to the house for her, before taking a deep breath and slowly swinging the door open. The usual morning chatter was audible from the living room, the occasional meow mixing in from Wyatt as Mitch cooed at him, Scott sneezing every now and again in response to his cat allergy, with Kevin and Kirstie laughing and carrying on their normal conversation. Launa turned the corner, feeling nauseated as she stepped into the kitchen to find both Kaplans standing there. Esther stood, cradling a mug of coffee in her hands, her brows furrowed and Avi-  _Avi_.

Launa hoped to never see him like this ever again. Never. He looked as though he'd gotten very litte sleep, dark circles sitting under his normally bright green eyes and his whole body slumped, yet pulled taut and tense. She inched into the kitchen, immediately catching the hawklike attention of the elder sibling. Esther said nothing, glancing between Avi and Launa for a moment before touching her brother on the shoulder.

"Should we..?" she asked quietly, his only response being a strained smile and a nod. Esther nodded and set her mug in the sink, glancing at Launa blankly before moving into the living room, quietly getting the attention of Kevin and the trio who quickly stood and left the house, the door shutting with an odd sense of finality behind them, and silence settled heavily in the house.

She frowned in confusion. "Where are they going?"

Avi shrugged, but didn't meet her gaze. "I don't know," he croaked, his voice almost hoarse, "I just asked them to leave when you woke up."

"Why?"

"Because," he sighed, stuffing his hands into his pockets, still not looking at her, "Our arguments tend to get explosive."

Launa gulped. R _ight. Arguments. This is going to be a fight_. She braced herself. "Um," she started, hesitant, "Do you want me to go first?"

"Yeah," he snapped, finally looking up at her and glaring, "I'd like that a  _lot_."

She shuddered under his gaze, steeling herself before even daring to continue. "I don't even know where to start," she said, flicking her gaze down to the tiled floor.

"How about the truth?" Avi's voice was sharp in her ears, piercing her skull. "How about you tell me what you've really been thinking this whole time? Have you really been lying to me? Or how about why you thought leaving like that would be a good idea?"

Launa flinched at his words, chewing her lip. "I-I've-"

"Look at me," he demanded, and she slowly raised her gaze to his, cringing at the hurt in his eyes, "No more lies, Launa."

She shook her head. "I didn't lie to you."

His jaw clicked into an aggressive angle. "Oh, really?," he moved his hands to prop them on his narrow hips, "You lied at some point. You either lied about us both going north, or you lied about lying about that. Which is it?"

Her eyes fluttered all around the kitchen, having trouble looking him in the eye _. Of all times for not wanting to look directly at people, it has to be now?_  She struggled to keep her gaze on his, fumbling for the words that would ease the situation. "I wanted to take you with me, I promise you that," he scoffed at that, "But I knew that, once we reached LA, you'd probably stay here. I wanted to go north and to Europe and everywhere with you, but I knew it wasn't likely to happen."

"Why?"

"Because your family is here," she said, wringing her hands, "You're family oriented, Avi. I knew that a long time ago, and I knew that when you met with them again, that you wouldn't want to leave them."

Avi frowned deeply. "You think I would abandon you, like that?"

"No, I-"

"But you would abandon me."

"Avi, no, I just-"

He threw his hands in the air. "With all the shit we've been through," he said, his voice increasing in volume, "I never thought that you would do something like that. Not  _once_."

She crossed her arms over her chest, hugging herself to ward off the guilt pinging inside her ribcage. "Neither did I," she replied, annoyed to feel herself start to crumple with emotion she didn't want to feel, "I never wanted to leave you."

"Then why did you?" Launa watched him search her face, his eyes still puffy and red from the previous night and his hair looking as though he'd been tugging on it. He looked wretched, and pain shot through her at the thought that  _she did that to him_.

She drew in a deep, shaky breath. "Because I thought it would be the easiest break between us," she mumbled, her voice beginning to fail her.

Avi nodded, yet clearly upset, casting his eyes to the floor for a moment as he spoke. "You thought," he started, "that just disappearing from my life would be the 'easiest break'? You thought that leaving in the middle of the night would be the 'easiest break'?" She flinched at the strain and venom in his voice as he looked up at her, glaring. "It might've been easier for  _you_  to just go off and not have to deal with what you left behind. It might've been easier for  _you_  to ignore that you were leaving another human being behind, with thoughts and feelings of its own."

She shuddered, her breath catching hard in her throat and feeling like she couldn't breathe, unable to look him in the eye as he continued. "Did you ever  _once_  think about how this would affect the others? Did you even consider how fucking confused they'd be?" He slowly approached her, clapping his hand hard across his chest. "What about me? Did you think about what kind of mess I'd be?"

"You'd get over it," she mumbled, instantly regretting the words as angry shock flitted across his features.

He opened and closed his mouth several times, struggling to comprehend what she'd just said. "I'd 'get over it'?" he hissed, his lip curling into a snarl, raising his voice to boom around the kitchen, " _I'd 'get over it'?!_ "

"Yes, you would," Launa shouted, looking him directly in the eye, "You would get over it and move onto something else! Someone better and more suited to you!" She trembled with the force of her fury. "You'd move onto someone who would only go where you wanted, who'd stay here for the rest of their fucking life!"

Avi shook his head, his face twisted with rage. "I don't want that."

"Bullshit-"

"Don't tell me what I want, Launa."

"Look, it would've just been easier for me to leave and for you to hate me for walking out on you and you'd be just fine-"

He grasped her by the shoulders, shaking her somewhat with frustration. "I would  _never_  get over you!"

She glared at him, moving to clench her fists at her sides. "Yes, you would," she growled, "You would get over it and I would go home."

"Is that all you want?," he demanded, his fingers digging into her shoulders, "To just go home and live in peace?"

"No," she shouted, her voice cracking and failing as she tried to continue, angry tears making her vision swim, "No, I- You know I want to travel, Avi. But I wanted to do it with you." She wiped at her eyes, infuriated by her weakness. "I never wanted to hurt you or the others."

"Then maybe you shouldn't have tried to leave like that."

"I thought I was doing the best thing!"

"Yeah," he snarled, " _For you_. You did what was easiest for  _you_."

Launa shoved at him, breaking his painful grip on her. "I was doing what I thought was best for everyone, Avriel."

"No, you were doing what was easiest for you to stomach," he argued, "You didn't want to deal with the crap you'd leave behind and-"

"You think that was  _easiest?!_ " her voice exploded from her, rage filling her lungs with fire, her breath shaky, "Leaving you was the hardest thing I'd ever done! Knowing I'd never see or hear you again was  _awful_  and the most painful thing I've ever experienced."

The glare never left his face, his fists clenched at his sides and his breathing harsh. He licked over his lips, his eyes flickering over her, and just as she was about to demand that he say something, he cut her off. "Come here."

She blinked, confused. "What?"

"I said 'come here'."

"I heard you," she said, narrowing her eyes at him, "Why?"

Without warning, he rushed forward, firmly grasping her face between his hands and slashed his lips across hers. She gasped, infuriated at the gall but couldn't help but to return it, biting down on his lip as he moved his hands to clutch at her hips, pulling her flush against him and growling against her mouth. He tugged at her bottom lip with his teeth, moving to scrape over her neck and sink them into the tender flesh and she hissed at the pleasure-pain, her hands going to his hair and twisting hard into the curls. "I hate you," she groaned, her head lolling back as he licked over the bite.

"No, you don't," he argued, moving his hands to grab at her rear, lifting her easily to wrap her legs around his waist, nipping at her collarbone, relishing the whimper and growl of frustration that crawled from her throat. He squeezed her backside, smirking and sighing into her shoulder as she tugged on his hair, making his head snap back and exposing his neck. Fury and lust rushed through her veins, biting at the spot on his neck she knew drove him  _insane_  and held on tight as he whirled and slammed her onto the table, bracing his hands on either side of her head.

Avi growled and glared down at her, his eyes dark and wild as he ground his hips into her, making his arousal obvious. She shuddered at the friction, rolling her hips up to meet his, whimpering as one hand met her hip, his fingers digging into the soft flesh. Both of his hands went to her breasts, squeezing almost painfully as she snaked her hands under his shirt, scraping her nails over the smooth skin of his back. He bent to kiss Launa, hissing at the red welts she painted on his back, slipping his tongue along hers as he slid his hands back down to fumble at the button and zipper of her jeans.

"Fucking-" he swore against her mouth, a second away from ripping the button off the denim, "-piece of shit."

Launa snickered at him and helped him undo her pants, grumbling as he backed away only to pull her pants and underwear off, gasping as his hand met her core, grinding his palm against her clit for a moment before fighting with his own jeans. "Don't you fucking dare get that anywhere near me without-"

"Right."

_In the middle of angry sex and still able to keep a cool enough head to remember a condom. Go me._

Not ten seconds later and he was bent over her, her legs hooking around his hips as he slammed into her, both pausing, Launa struggling to breathe at the suddenness and her hands going to his back and hair, Avi burying his face into her neck and swearing. "You had better move, ya bastard," she groaned, "Get this over with, cos I'm not done yelling."

"Neither am I," he breathed, shaky, leaning on his elbows and sliding out until just the tip of him remained before ramming back in, picking up a rough rhythm that had them both clinging on for dear life. Within minutes, Launa was clawing at his back and yanking on his curls, begging him to move faster and-

The rapid heat they'd built exploded, spreading throughout each of her nerves as she came, moaning into his shoulder and shuddering as he followed a minute later, trembling and collapsing on top of her. The only sound filtering through the still morning air was their harsh breathing echoing around the kitchen and the blood rushing in their ears.

"We need to clean the fuck out of this table," she mumbled, slowly easing her hold on him and smiling as he laughed into her neck.

They moved slowly, carefully untangling from each other, wincing as he slid out and took a quick survey of the damage they'd caused. Avi pressed a kiss to a bite on her neck where he'd broken the skin, blood already starting to scab over and apologizing. She shook her head and gingerly slid to the floor, locating and pulling her pants back on, cringing at the bruises starting to form on her hips and the hiss of pain he gave as his shirt brushed over the welts on his back.

"Okay," he sighed, "So."

Launa snorted before sobering. "I'm sorry," she murmured, starting to wring her hands, again, "I'm so sorry. I didn't think of how it would've affected you and-"

He cut her off by softly pressing his lips to hers, slowly breaking the contact and threading his fingers through her hair after a moment. "It'll be okay," he said quietly, "It's not, right now, but it will be." Avi pulled her close, holding her tight against him and sighed through his nose into her hair. "We'll work something out, okay? Just- just don't leave me like that. Please."

She paused for a moment, slipping her arms around his middle and slowly nodded. "I promise."

______

After cleaning the kitchen and removing any trace of their activities- including moving the table back to its original position- they relocated to their room, sitting side by side on the bed, talking through possible solutions to the problem.

"It's a long ways away," Launa said quietly, bringing her knees up to her chest and hooking her arms around her legs, "It would take a long time to travel either way, even by car."

Avi nodded, staring absently at the floor as he leaned forward, he elbows resting on his knees. "I'd be willing to take that trip," he turned to look at her, his green eyes flickering over her face as he reached out to tuck a stray bit of hair behind her ear, "What do you think? Could that work?"

She turned to meet his gaze, biting her lip briefly as she thought. "Yeah, we could do that," hesitantly, she inched her fingers toward his, slightly startled as he wrapped her hand up in his, kissing the backs of her fingers.

"Okay," he sighed, a note of relief in his voice, nodding and scooting closer to her, slinging an arm around her neck and pressing a kiss to her temple, "We can make this work."


	61. Chapter 61

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading this to the very end! It's been an absolute pleasure writing this for you! ♥♥♥

Life continued as normal, or as normal as it possibly could have. For the next few days, worried looks were cast in their direction and the trio mumbled behind their backs. But, after a little while, the concern seemed to ease, and normalcy descended upon the group.

Launa and Avi, however, had developed a plan, which they kept quiet about. "When should we tell them?" he asked, one night, leaning back against the wall behind their bed, stroking his fingers through her hair, "Esther will try to stop us, somehow."

She looked up at him with a grimace, slouching with her head resting on his shoulder and playing idly with the collar of his shirt. "The last thing I want to do is drive a wedge between you two."

He shook his head, readjusting her in his lap. "Nah," he said, "We'll be fine, so long as she lets me be an adult."

"She seems to have been getting better at that, though," Launa said, chewing her lip and remaining silent for a long moment, "How well do you think they're gonna take it?"

Avi sighed almost inaudibly. "Not very well," he murmured, tracing his fingers across her back, "We can't give them much time to react."

"You don't have to do this," she reminded him, "We can work out something else."

He shook his head again, smiling down at her. "Not a chance."

______

"Good job, today, guys," Esther said, stirring their dinner on the stove as the other six crammed and milled around the table, then continued with a slight frown, "You guys have been performing an awful lot, lately. What's up?"

Scott shrugged, petting Wyatt as he perched on Mitch's shoulder. "Everyone's been in a good mood, I guess," he answered, scritching under Wyatt's chin, "And a lot of energy." The others simply shrugged but continued on talking throughout dinner, laughing about the little kids that had squeezed their way to the front of their little audience to dance with them.

Launa smiled through the jab of sorrow and anxiety that shot through her gut, glancing around the table at each person. Esther, Mitch, Scott, Kirstie, Kevin. Each of them was smiling and laughing, poking at each other or singing little riffs that came to mind because of a piece of conversation. _I'm going to miss them_. Her breath caught in her throat, heart clenching in her chest as she flicked her gaze to Avi, barely startled to find him already looking over at her.

She swallowed hard.

Nodded.

_Don't give them much time to react._

Almost in unison, they turned to look around at the rest of the group just as they finished their dinners, simply sitting around an enjoying each other's company. "I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more," Mitch sang, fake-marching in his seat as Scott and Kirstie joined in.  _How appropriate._

Avi cleared his throat loudly and turned to face her. "Hmm, 500 miles," he chuckled, taking the song as an opening, "How far would you say your hometown is?"

Esther whipped her head around, frowning instantly.  _She knows something's up_. "What?"

"I'm just asking," he responded, his smile tight and strained, earning a deeper frown from his sister.

"Why don't I believe you?" she asked, her voice stern. The trio ceased their chatter, they and Kevin turning to watch the exchange.

Avi chewed his lip, flickering his eyes to Launa's, nodding after a moment. He would speak for them. Pushing his bowl out of the way, he clasped his hands together on the table, staring down at them for a long moment as anxiety fluttered deep in the redhead's stomach.

_Just say it, Avi. Please._

He inhaled deeply, steeling himself. "We're heading north," he said finally, piercing through the heavy silence that had fallen on the group, "Launa and I. I'm taking her home."

Kirstie's mouth dropped open, her brows drawn together in a frown and shaking her head. "And you're coming back, right?"

Avi hesitated, and Esther nearly shot across the table at him. "How long are you going to be gone for, Avriel?" she demanded, her fists clenched on the table.

He glanced to Launa for a split second before looking at his sister. "She's been away from her family for too long. I'll be up north for six or seven months." A cacophony of noise erupted from the trio, Kevin shushing them in annoyance as he tried to listen to his friend. "And then we'll come back for four months."

Esther shook her head, glaring at the pair of them and gaping. "We figured that switching off every four months would make it somewhat equal," Launa added, her hands trembling but not letting her anxiety and fear show, "So we're not always spending holidays in one place or the other." Her partner nodded in agreement, offering her a warm, supportive smile.

"What about us?" The elder sibling demanded, furious, "You're just going to abandon us?!"

"We're not, Est," he argued calmly, "That's why we're telling you and not just disappearing."

Mitch interjected. "Is that why you've been wanting to do more performances, lately?" The older man nodded, and he mirrored the motion, sitting back in his chair, "You've been trying to stock us up to help when you're gone."

Esther gaped, speechless with shock and anger, even as Kevin clapped an arm around Avi's shoulders. "What can we do to help you guys outta here?" The pair of them turned to look at him, surprised, and he shrugged. "What? Can't I help my brother?"

Avi grinned at him, slinging his arm around his friend and hugging him, murmuring his thanks. "No." Esther interrupted, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What do you mean, 'no'?" Launa asked, readying herself for a fight.

The older woman simply shook her head, repeating herself. "No."

Her brother turned away from Kevin to fix her with a stubborn glare. "We've talked about this," he said, leaning forward onto his elbows, "I'm an adult. I get to make my own decisions."

"We need you here," she insisted, leaning forward almost violently, her lip curling into a snarl.

"Not all the time, you don't," he argued, shaking his head, "You're one of the most responsible people I know, Esther. I know you can handle these kids on your own." A protesting noise came from the end of the table, cutting off into one of agreement as the trio realized that, of the group, they were, in fact, the children.

"I'll come back," Avi continued, his voice softening, "But you need to let me go."

Esther chewed her lip, glaring at him for a long, anxious moment before sighing. "Just don't eat any poisonous berries, McCandless," she told him sternly, jabbing her finger at him, smiling as he snorted at the reference.

"So," Scott said, breaking the silence that had fallen upon the group, "When are you leaving?"

Launa and Avi shared a look. "Tomorrow," he murmured, casting his gaze to the table, unable to look any of them in the eye as their faces fell, "We didn't want to give anyone a chance to try to convince us to stay."

"Tomorrow," Kirstie echoed, sitting back in her chair and sniffing, "Tomorrow."

A sad silence descended upon them, burying itself into every nook and cranny of the house, broken only by Wyatt's purring. Launa looked up at each person, heart aching at their hurt expressions.

Esther suddenly nodded, inhaling deeply. "Tomorrow," she said firmly, smiling at Avi and Launa, "Tomorrow it is. Let's get your asses out of here." Much to their shock, a smile began to appear on each of their friends' faces.

With that, the elder sibling stood and began to collect bowls from the table, taking them to the sink, despite the extra wet shine to her eyes, and the night passed as though it were any other. The group sang a little bit, performing a song they'd put together themselves, for Esther and Launa, hard and floating all at the same time, rocking the very foundation of the house with the force of it.

"What do you call it?" Launa asked after they'd finished.

" 'Natural Disaster'," Scott answered proudly, "We thought it was fitting, since the world's gone topsy-turvy. I mean, it's more about a person than an actual disaster but- you know what I mean."

They bid each other a good night, all of them pausing to give them a tight embrace before fleeing to their rooms. As they settled down into bed, the complementing high notes of the trio and Kevin and Avi's low, ground-shattering notes still ringing in Launa's ears.

______

The morning air was strained and quiet, despite the ease in which they'd gone to sleep the previous night. The usually noisy living area was almost dead silent as Avi and Launa threw canned goods into their bags, taking the ones that would expire the slowest at Esther's insistance. Kevin asked them again if there was anything he could do, to which they politely declined. They'd already found a car that they'd been able to trade food for, already loaded up with gas.

Upon hearing this, Mitch, Scott, and Kirstie ran outside in their bare feet, finding the car in question parked around the back of the house. "Sure shit," Scott said as they made their way back inside, "They're not kidding around."

Launa threw her hands up in the air. "You thought we were joking?"

"No, we thought you were stupid enough to go on foot," Kirstie laughed, hopping over and peering into the bag, leaning toward the other woman and lowing her voice, "The boys and I went out early, this morning and got you something," she murmured, nodding toward the room the other shared with Launa, "It's sitting in the other bag."

The redhead gave her a confused look, then glanced over at the boys who wiggled their fingers at her, then back to Kirstie who only waggled her eyebrows at her with a devious, too-sweet smile before walking off to rejoin Scott and Mitch. Avi came up behind her, gingerly placing his hands on her shoulders to alert her to his presence. "Did Kirstie just tell you about what they put in our bag?" he breathed between gritted teeth as he moved to stand beside her.

"Yeah, what was it?"

He leaned over. "They got us condoms."

Launa doubled over laughing out of sheer embarrassment, burying her face in the bag of cans. _  
_

______

At about noon, the group of them trooped outside, Launa and Avi donned in their jackets and tossing their bags into the backseat of the car and cleaning out anything else they thought they might need. Launa stared at their room for a moment, glancing it over in case they'd forgotten something and- she clapped at her neck, feeling for the silver chain and garnet pendant, sighing with relief as it met her finger tips- yes, everything was in order.

She carefully closed the door, glancing around the living area and kitchen, flooded with memories she'd made there in three short months. She paused to give Wyatt a loving scratch behind his ears and a peck on the top of his fuzzy head as he laid on the ugly yellow couch before leaving quickly, waving at the little cat before shutting the door behind her.

"Do we have everything, baby?" Avi asked as she moved to stand beside him, kissing her forehead as she nodded. He took a deep breath. "Ready?"

Her skin prickled with anxiety and excitement to get moving again, her stomach lurching at it all. "Yeah," she answered, grinning for a moment before sobering, "You don't have to do this, Avi. You can back out and I won't hold it against you."

He just smiled and shook his head. "Sorry," he shrugged, "You're stuck with me."

Launa grinned up at him. "I wouldn't want it any other way," with that, she turned to face the other five, only to be immediately engulfed in a Kevin hug.

"I'll miss you, kiddo," he said, squeezing her tight as she struggled to breathe. He released her, smiling warmly, leaving her to move onto the trio, ending up in a group hug between the three of them.

Mitch pressed a comical smooch on her cheek. "You take care, okay Red?" Scott said, squeezing her around the shoulders as Kirstie murmured her agreement, demanding that they be safe as the three of them squeezed her one last time.

Launa paused as she came to Esther, hesitating until the other woman opened her arms to her, beckoning her over and firmly embracing her. "Take care of him, okay?" she mumbled into the shorter woman's ear.

She nodded. "I promise." The other drew back, holding her at arm's length by the shoulders for a moment before leaning in and giving her a swift kiss on the cheek. "What the hell was that?"

Esther shrugged. "Eh. You're kind of an in-law, so-"

"I am so not an in-law," Launa laughed, "I think I would have remembered stepping on a wine glass- or whatever."

The other popped her in the shoulder. "That's him, you dork," she snorted, "But you're still a little bit of an in-law."

Launa smiled at her, her heart starting to clench. "Are we good, then?"

Esther nodded, mirroring her smile. "Yeah. We're good," she clapped her on the back, pushing her gently toward the car, "Go on. I don't want to see your face for at least another six months."

The redhead laughed, sniffing and shaking at the unwelcome tears as she back away, squeezing Avi's arm as she passed him, waving at the others as she clambered into the car, leaving him to say goodbye. Avi followed the same path as her, starting with Kevin, clutching the other man tightly. "I'll miss you, brother," Kevin mumbled, bypassing the 'bro' hug completely and simply squeezing his friend with all his might.

The other nodded, his voice already thickening. "You too, Kevin," he murmured, pulling back and giving him a watery smile, "You and Esther take care of them, okay?"

Kevin nodded, offering his best friend a smile before gently pushing him in the direction of the trio who immediately latched onto him in a group hug at first, separating to hug him one-on-one after a few moments. "We love you, bass-man," Scott laughed, patting him on the back.

Mitch buried his face in the other man's shoulder, rocking them back and forth for a moment. "Don't cry, boo," the higher-pitched man scolded him, fingers curling in the brown jacket, and Avi shook his head, smiling wide as he pulled away and dropped a kiss on the top of Mitch's head.

Kirstie stood on her toes to wrap her arms around his neck, her curly hair tickling his face. "You take care of yourselves, okay?"

He nodded. "You too," he told her, gently squeezing her one more time before releasing her and gesturing to Scott and Mitch, "Take care of these two."

"Aye, aye," she said, saluting him with a crooked smile.

Avi grinned and stepped away from them, turning to face his sister. Esther stood with her arms crossed for a moment, taking a deep breath before wrapping her little brother in the tightest embrace she could muster. "You be careful," she said, her voice shaky as he returned her hug, "And take care of each other."

He pulled away, nodding. "We'll be okay," he promised, reaching up and ruffling her hair.

Esther smiled, her eyes watery as she patted his shoulders. "You have everything, right?"

"Yes."

"You're not forgetting anything?"

"No," he began to smile, grinning at her concern, "We're good to go, and we'll be fine. I promise."

His sister nodded, finally releasing her grip on after a moment. "Go on, get out of here."

Avi smiled, inhaling deeply as he glanced over his second family- at Kevin, Scott, Kirstie and Mitch- and at Esther. "I love you guys," he said, voice cracking as he saluted, "I'll see you later."

They all waved as he backed away, mirroring their gesture and heaving himself into the driver's seat, taking a shaky breath and wiping at his eyes. Launa sat beside him, reaching out to touch his shoulder. "Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked softly.

He nodded, giving her a watery smile. "Yeah," he breathed.

"Last chance," she warned him.

Avi glanced in the rear view mirror at his friends and family, letting out a whoosh of air. "I'm sure," he said, looking over at her and sliding his hand into hers, squeezing briefly before releasing her and sliding the keys into the ignition, kicking the car into life.

"Hey," Launa called, smiling as he turned his head to look at her, hesitating for a moment as she gathered her courage, "I love you."

He smiled wide, leaning forward and pressing his lips against hers, lingering for a long moment before drawing back. "I love you," he murmured, still grinning as he rolled down the windows, allowing the both of them to stick their heads out and wave goodbye before pulling away from the house and down the road.

Avi slid a map out of his jacket's breast pocket and handed it to Launa to with a smile. She took it, grinning as she unfolded it, finding a map of southern Alaska and the west coast waiting for her, her heart fluttering in her chest as she glanced back to him, meeting his green gaze with her own.

"So," he said, "Where to?"

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


End file.
